Friday, February 5, 2016

Ash Wednesday - The Beginning of Lent, A Time of Repentance


Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

I really enjoy owning and caring for a dog.  Our last dog, Susitna, is no longer with us.  But, when she was alive she brought many hours of fun, love, play, and companionship.  However, Sue also gave our family quite a bit of frustration, especially in her early years.  Perhaps you have noticed that dogs have their own minds.  Sometimes I could see in the eyes of my dog that she knew what she was supposed to do, but some other desire would seem to take over.  My wife, Kathy was convinced that Sue would obey me, but was always willful with her.  But, when Sue would return from whatever bad behavior she had chosen, all I had to do was say, “Bad Dog” and she would look down, bow her head and turn away.  She did not like being scolded.

 

I tell you this story, not so much to talk about dogs, but because sometimes it is easier to discuss a difficult topic when talking about someone else.  The lesson here is that no one likes to be scolded.  No one likes to be wrong.  No one enjoys being caught doing wrong.  But, let’s get personal now.  We have all done wrong, and whether we know it or not we have also been caught.  God knows our sin.

 

God is our Creator and our Heavenly Father.  As a loving Father, God has told us how to live.  Jesus summarizes the law of our Father in Matthew 22.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:37-39)  Loving God first and loving others is the summary of the law of God.  God doesn’t give us this law to control us.  We are healthiest as children of God when we have a good relationship with our Creator and Father, and when we have a good relationship with others whom God has created as well.  God gives His law for our good.

 

But, all of us have often chosen the unhealthy path.  We often choose not to love and obey God, and not to love others.  Instead we indulge ourselves.  That is why God says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."  (Romans 3:10-12, Psalm 14)

 

So, no one likes to be wrong, and no one likes to be scolded.  But, since we have sinned against God and others, what should we do?

 

Before I answer this question, let me tell you about our dog again.  Susitna craved love.  She responded so much better to rewards for good behavior than she did to punishment for bad behavior.  I found out that Sue learned better when rewarded than when punished.  But, she still needed to know what was right and wrong. 

 

Let me tell you about God’s plan for His people.  It revolves around the saving life and death of Jesus.  Jesus came as Savior.  God says in John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

 

So, here is how God calls wayward people to respond.  “8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:8-9)  God wants us to admit our sin to ourselves, to Him, and even others.  And God wants us to turn to Him for forgiveness, and to follow Him in the way that is healthiest for our lives as His children.  Turning from sin and turning to God is called “repentance.”  We ALL need to repent. 

 

I share these round about thoughts on guilt and God’s call to repentance because we are entering the season of Lent.  Lent is a season of the church year before Easter that focuses on the suffering of Jesus for sinful people, and . . . for us.  Lent is a time in the church year that God’s people are reminded of God’s call to attitudes and lives of repentance.

 

No one likes to be wrong.  But we are all sinful and wrong.  No one likes to be scolded.  We respond better to love.  So, God sends Jesus.  He calls us to admit that we, like everyone else are sinful and need to return to God. 

 

So, during Lent, Christians have chosen to focus on attitudes of repentance for our sin, and thankfulness for the sacrificial love of God.  One outward way we have reminded ourselves of what we need to do inwardly happens on Ash Wednesday.  If you come to worship on Ash Wednesday you will receive the sign of the cross on your forehead in ashes.  The dirt of the ashes helps us to admit what we don’t like to admit, that we are people who have sinned.  But, the sign of the cross tells us that when we deserved punishment, God gave forgiveness and love in Jesus. 

 

One last Bible verse sums this all up.  In Romans 6:23 we are told, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  May God bless your observance of Lent that we might grow closer to our Lord through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

 

A Child of God, Repenting and Believing in Jesus

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten observance this coming Wednesday, February 10.  Our regular mid week Lenten Service will be held at 6:30 p.m.  The first Lenten service is always “Ash Wednesday.”  There is also a fellowship meal at 5:30 p.m. before the service being served by Darell and Brenda Schurman and by Jerry and Diana Christensen.

            HOWEVER, IN ADDITION, Hunter Richards will be offering a very short Ash Wednesday service at noon on that day, specifically for those who cannot come to worship in the evening, but want the opportunity to receive the imposition of ashes.

 

P.P.S.  Here are two fishing pictures from my first ice-fishing trip after vacation.  https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/IceFishingWinter20152016#6246563526833079602

            and


****

 

ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am regularly adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.

 

****

 

No comments:

Post a Comment