Wednesday 22 February 2012

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday.  This is the  day in the Church year when we sit down and reflect upon our lives so far.. and then ask God for forgiveness.  The "Ash" part of ash Wednesday is historically,  people would go to Church to ask for forgiveness then the Minister would place the sign of the cross on their foreheads.  The ashes were usually last year's  Palm Branches that were burned into ash.      Presbyterians don't do the sign of the cross in ashes on our foreheads but we certainly do the reflective forgiveness part of Ash Wednesday.
In Brandon,  the Churches gather together for  Lenten Noon Hour Worship ...followed by an amazing soup - sandwich lunch.   The Lenten Noon Hour Worships are held at St. Matthew's  Anglican Cathedral.  I cherish these times of worship.  So if you are in the neighbourhood for the next six Wednesdays.... St. Matthew's  Cathedral  13th Street in Brandon MB  at High Noon.

Devotional......
Prayer:   God of Repentance and love,  may we steep our lives in You this day.  May You show us Your glory this day as we begin the time of repentance.   Help us not to worry about all the little things in life but to rest and abide in You.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Read St. Matthew 6:  25 - 33
These verses are verses of comfort.   Jesus tells the Disciples not to be anxious about their  life. Jesus tells us this same thing today too.   Do not be anxious about your life.    This doesn’t mean tossing aside our Bills and Mortgages because “God will provide”  but these portions of scripture means that we will not fuss about what clothes are in our closet nor what food is on our table at mealtime (although  brussel sprouts still create anxiousness in our house J) 
God is with us in everything that we do and say.  And in prayer,  we ask God to help us when the anxiety of our lives and the worries of our lives  get us down.

Today is Ash Wednesday… the day when we ask God to forgive us from our whining and complaining and short vision and turn again to God’s love.  Lent is forty days long, not including Sundays.    Lent is a time to do seriously looking at ourselves… our actions… our thoughts… our vision and then turn to God,  asking for forgiveness and newness of God’s joy.

Prayer:  Almighty and Everlasting God,  forgive us from our whining and complaining and short vision.  Help us this Lent to keep our eyes focussed upon You.   Great God,  help us when the anxiety of our lives and the worries of our lives get us down.   May we turn again to Your glory and peace.   This we ask in Jesus name.  Amen.

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