Beginning today, February 22nd, Christians all over the world will enter a season called Lent. It's a season that Christians have participated in for thousands of years.
Lent comes from Latin, and it just means 40. It’s when we celebrate and participate in the story of Jesus’ entering into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days. It is a way for Jesus followers to prepare their hearts and minds for Easter.
And it all begins on Ash Wednesday.
Throughout the Bible, ashes are a symbol for mourning. After all, the first humans were created from dirt, and to dirt we will return.
Ashes remind us of our frailness; of our humanity. God wants His people to hope, but he also wants His people to be brutally honest about life, because God knows us. God knows that we try to trick ourselves into believing that death isn’t going to happen to us, but the symbol of ashes is a powerful reminder of our weakness, morally and physically.
We are broken creatures, and the ash reminds us of what we tend to forget.
We live under the shadow of death, and the grave will not be denied.
Yes, God can and will bring beauty from the ashes, but we must be honest and call our brokenness, and the brokenness of the world, by name.
Join us tonight, February 22nd, as Highland participates in Ash Wednesday, 7 pm in the Highland Auditorium.
Brandon and the worship team will lead us in worship, Jack and Jill Maxwell will be interpreting the message through art, and Greg Straughn will play cello as we enter a time of meditation and prayer stations.
