Chasing After You!

Day One (Ash Wednesday) - Lent 2010

Some of my friends on Twitter were a little confused when they saw people with crosses marked on their foreheads. Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent! The name "Ash Wednesday" comes from the practice of placing ashes from the burned Palm Crosses from last year’s Palm Sunday on the foreheads of individuals as a sign of repentance. There are two bible verses that are relevant to Ash Wednesday:

Genesis 3:19 (NIV) – "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

Mark 1:15 (NIV) – "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Having said that – the time has come, the season of Lent has begun! In Joel 2:12-14, God says "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments..." and the scripture goes on to say "who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing..."

The season of Lent is not about self. It is all about God. The ulterior motive for your personal sacrifice should not start with you. "If I give up this – God will bless me with that"...while receiving the extras in life are great, I can say with conviction if God doesn’t do anything else for me, I will still praise His name! Look at Job – he had everything: a house, land, lots of livestock, and a family. Satan thought that if Job didn’t have any of those things he would turn from God. What a fool was he! When Satan destroyed the land, took the livestock, and killed the family – Job still in the midst of all of it fell to his knees, praised & worshipped God: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

Lent is our time to face ourselves in the wilderness and seek God, deepen our commitment to Him, and solidify our way of life as believers of the Word. God calls to us: "Come back to me, with all of your heart." Regardless of whatever wrongs you have done in life – it doesn’t matter! All we have to do is show up and accept God’s calling.

During this Lenten season, I am focusing on several things:
- my purpose in life, why am I here?
- allowing God to deal with insecurities; getting rid of baggage that is keeping from receiving and being all that God has called me to be
- recognizing and discerning what is and is not beneficial for me – including cutting some people from my life and letting go of anything that is not of God

I'm not "giving up" something because that sounds too much like a punishment and that's not what it's about – I am fasting (Monday-Saturday) and abstaining on Sundays (no meat). Isaiah 58 lays out what God defines as True Fasting and it also reminds us that during this time Jesus is inviting us to a change of heart. Fasting is a tool – for a lack of a better word – that we can use whenever we want to sincerely seek and ask God for something (whatever that might be). But do understand it is not the actual act of fasting that is the focus – by fasting we are clarifying our thinking and our feelings; it purifies us and allows us to pray more deeply.

Lent is also not just about "giving up" something – you can also do things: volunteer with a charity, give more money in your offering to the church, add or increase your prayer/reflection time with God, etc. Again the overall focus is to grow and strengthen your relationship with God.

I am sharing my journey on my blog because I believe that a journey is always better when it is shared. So if you have something to share, by all means post it below or shoot me an e-mail (tamiapowell12@yahoo.com) – true believers do not walk alone.

Before I end this blog, I leave you with seven Psalms that will help you through this Lenten season:
Psalm 6 (A Prayer in Times of Trouble)
Psalm 32 (The Joy of Forgiveness)
Psalm 38 (A Prayer in Times of Trouble)
Psalm 51 (A Prayer for Forgiveness)
Psalm 102 (A Prayer in Times of Trouble)
Psalm 130 (Trusting the Lord in Times of Trouble)
Psalm 143 (A Prayer in Time of Danger)

If you are interested in starting a bible reading plan: www.youversion.com is a GREAT website! They have several bible reading plans that you can choose from - all you have to do is create an account and it will keep track of your progress. You also can keep a journal on the site and post contributions with other members on the site about the bible verses you have read.

I will keep you all in my prayers & may God continue to bless you!

:)

P.S. - This song exemplifies exactly what Lent should be about (one of my favorite Praise songs!)