22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Reflection
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and a time of reflection as we once again follow Jesus to the cross and the tomb, towards the resurrection and Easter. It’s a solemn time of prayer, fasting, studying scripture together and serving others. It’s also a time for us to draw near to God, because God is always near to us and calling us into a closer relationship.
Whether you will get anointed with ashes in a drive through on the way to work, or you will go to an Ash Wednesday service at church, the Pastor will say to you, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return,” or “Repent, and believe the gospel.” This is a call to us to examine our lives as disciples of Jesus. Lent asks us to face the two things most of us don’t want to confront, sin and death. We’d rather not acknowledge our mortality and our need to repent of our sins, our brokenness. But Lent is a time for us to be honest with ourselves, to ask ourselves’ “How am I doing as a follower of Jesus?” To ask ourselves, “Am I growing in faith or have I gotten too busy, or become discouraged by life, fallen away or given up?” Lent is a good time for us to get back on track, to not give up and try again.
For us Lent can be a time of transformation. Some of us give up dessert or chocolate, some of us take on a practice, to read our Bible every day and pray. It’s an intentional journey that we take on, it begins in ashes and ends in glory. It’s a journey that leads us to the resurrection and a transformed life. For forty days we surrender ourselves to God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We enter into the suffering of the world. Instead of looking away from injustice, suffering and death, we share in each other’s pain, and walk along with those who suffer. We do this because our faith is alive and calls us into action. We remember that Jesus loved us and suffered and died for us. By following Jesus, our lives, and the lives of those we encounter, are transformed by the love of God.
by Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering and Prayer
The author of Hebrews in these verses is reminding the discouraged and the lost believers that they need to once again draw near to God. It’s a call to persevere in our faith, no matter what’s happening. To hang onto God’s promises because they are true. And that when our faith wavers due to life’s circumstances, and it will, we can draw near to God, because we have the certainty our faith gives us for we have been redeemed by Jesus, baptized into new life
and live in the eternal hope that God faithfully promises to us.
This Lent I hope you can draw nearer to God. Are you are struggling with discouragement or feel like giving up? In his weekly newsletter, Pastor Joe has recommended ways to draw near to God this Lent. Full details are on the church website. If you are new or starting over, take the first step and start with one. Which ones will you choose to do this Lenten season?
Worship Fully: Ash Wednesday, Holy Week services and labyrinth prayer walk.
Develop a daily Prayer and scripture habit: use our daily devotionals or read a chapter from a gospel each day in Lent.
Be part of a small group: connect with others, Lenten studies on FB Live Monday-Thursday beginning 2/23 at 7am. Tuesday nights on Zoom from 3/3 -3/30 at 7 pm.
Become more generous: set aside money during Lent to donate to a mission or ministry.
Show up and serve: volunteer your time and talent at church or in your community.
Prayer: Prayer: Holy and Loving God, forgive us when we become discouraged or feel like
giving up as we follow Jesus through these difficult times. Help us to remember to always draw near to you and to remember to hold onto the eternal hope that you have promised to us through Jesus Christ. Amen.
