ashes to ashes

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent.  We are not having a service this year at Six Points, but I do encourage you to observe this Holy Day on your own and to think about this ancient church season as we lead up to the celebration of Easter.

Lent is a time of reflection, a time of repentance and a time of confession.  In the ancient world repentance was often shown by the wearing of sack cloth (think burlap...itchy) and placing ashes on your head.  This was a way to show others that you were in mourning (for a death or sin) and to "feel" your sin in a deep way.  It also reminded a person of their mortality.   We all, eventually, die and our bodies decompose into dust...into dirt.  Adam was made from dirt (fun fact, the word Adam actually means dirt in Hebrew) and we all turn back into dirt.  So placing ashes on our heads is a way to remember our mourning, our repentance and our mortality. 
 
May God use these days to help you repent of your sin, turn from your wicked ways and have the power from the Holy Spirit to "go and sin no more" finding freedom in Christ to live in love.
 
In Christ,
Pastor Scott