ashy foreheads

this was my blog from one year ago. it's good to look back and see what God was doing in your life as well as what came of it. good reading.



40 DAYS SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD


February 21, marks the start of a grand journey for me this year. It is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. For many of us we don't really know, or care to know, what Lent is all about. I used to assume it was a Catholic tradition that had no relevance to us today (coming from my Baptist background). Each year Lent seemed to pass unnoticed.

As God began to lay the subject of Lent on my heart around a year ago, I began to study Lent, Ash Wednesday and the meaning behind the ritual. What I've learned is that Lent is deeply rooted in Christian history. Lent is a time for us to prepare ourselves for Easter. Because Easter is the celebration of the risen Christ, the empty tomb. Easter is the celebration of OUR HOPE. These 40 days of lent (not including Sundays) are a time for us to not just "give" something up, but rather offer something to God. It's a time of reflection and repentance. What do we need to give up to Christ? What do we struggle with? What within our souls do we need to surrender to God?

I have a phrase written on the outside of my pocket Bible that says, "He Stinketh".

It is a reference to Martha telling Jesus that Lazarus is going to reek of a stench of decaying flesh in John 11. It reminds me to look within myself and see what decisions I've made that have caused me to die spiritually. Where in my life do I stink?

So, I ask you: what in your life is causing you to die and reek of dead flesh?

What will you give up this lent out of repentance and conviction? The ashes that are placed on the foreheads of christians represent the ashes that were so common in the old testament during times of mourning, as in Job 2 and Jonah 3. But we must search further back to the law and Moses (Leviticus). The Israelites would offer burnt offerings for penitence of sins. They would burn a bull as a sacrifice for the sins of the Israelite people to God. They would then take the ashes from that burnt offering and pour them out, outside of the camp. Why is this significant?

Where was Christ Crucified? Outside the city walls of Jerusalem; outside the camp.
How was His sacrifice seen? As a sin offering to God for the sins of the people.

Christ was poured out as a sin offering to God. If we hold Galatians 2:20 to heart and we die to Christ, will we put ourselves on the altar and sacrifice ourselves to God? Will we say to God, "I am serious about life with you. All I want is to see your face. You are what I long for. You are the reason the wolf howls and creation growns. I am homesick for you. When will I dine at your banquet table?"

What will we give up this Lent season and express to God how much we need and want to commune with Him?

This is what I challenge you to do: Begin praying, daily, that God would reveal to you what you need to give to Him and that you will be faithful to hear Him. Whether He asks you to fast from TV or Sugar or Cokes, or Food, or perhaps it is an addiction that gets you into trouble everytime you do it, perhaps its smoking, perhaps its sleeping in, what ever it may be, please be attentive to His voice and don't be afraid. Because if you do pray for this, God will tell you. He won't shy away. He wants to go deeper with you.

And please do this with someone else. Make sure you have a close believer that is sharing in the battle to give up something. It doesn't have to be the same thing, but do it in communion with other believers so that you can do it as one body. We can't go through this life alone thinking that our walk is singular. We walk with the Trinity, which walks with every believer, so therefore, we do this together as one movement.

From 1884 to 1994 in Korea 30,000 churches were founded. That is 300 per year for 100 years. That is almost one a day. The Koreans hold intercessory prayer so dear that over 20,000 of its members have completed a 40 day fast from food while often times living in the mountains, bathing all thoughts in prayer. What if the church in America took fasting and prayer this seriously?

Will this be another year of mediocrity or the beginning of intense battle and searching for the heart of God at all cost? Are we Homesick? How serious are we?

Peace be with you,

.:rustinklafka