Wednesday, February 10, 2016

EmmDev 2016-02-10 [Lent 2016] Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. 3 And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
5 Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you." 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD."      (1Samuel7:2-6)
The Israelites had used the Ark of the Covenant as a good luck charm and it had fallen into the hands of the Philistines, but the Philistine's idols kept falling down whenever the Ark was near and so they returned it to Israel.

But for twenty years the Israelites did nothing about this. Eventually true repentance entered their hearts and they sought the Lord again.

Notice how Samuel checks their hearts, asks them to take concrete action and then leads them in an act of repentance.

We have more than the Ark of the Covenant. We have the Gospel: Jesus came, died and rose again and the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. But so often we are like the Israelites, we live as though He isn't there.

Ash Wednesday is an act of repentance, return and renewal.

It calls us to:

  • Come with all our hearts.
  • To rid ourselves of foreign gods
  • To re-commit ourselves to Him

The Israelites poured out water before the Lord (a symbol of dedication) and they fasted and confessed.

Ash Wednesday uses different symbolism but the purpose is the same.

We come to God recognising how far we have drifted from Him. We put things aside, fast and confess because we know we need Him more than anything.

In Samuel's account the Philistines attack Israel while the nation is busy with this act of repentance and we read that God routed them. The beauty of Ash Wednesday is that we anticipate Easter where Jesus defeats sin, death and Satan.

Here's our challenge:
Are you ready to return to the Lord with all your heart?


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