Falling Ashes

Today marks an important day in the church year, Ash Wednesday. This is the beginning of the season of Lent. A time for people to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for their sins. Lent is a journey of 40 days to the empty tomb on Easter Sunday morning. 

My husband walked to work today and took this picture of our church.

Monday evening it snow/iced/sleeted. Some melted away yesterday, but this was the result after a very cold night. 

Now, as I look out my window, snow is falling and it is beautiful. I do enjoy just getting to sit and watch the snow from inside a warm house.  

Have you ever watched ashes fall? When you are outside with a great bonfire or campfire sometimes ashes will start to blow and fall and land just like snow. Ash doesn't just wipe away easily, it usually leaves a mark and clothing has to be washed. Sin, the bad things we do, does the same thing in our lives. It leaves marks on our heart and it doesn't easily come off.  As we thinking of Ash Wednesday we are reminded of our sin. We are reminded that from dust we came and to dust we will return. The consequence of sin is death. It is something we completely deserve. We are forever separated from God in death.

But then it snows. Beautiful snow falls and washes the earth clean. Jesus death on the cross washes the ash off and makes us white as snow. Sin isn't pretty and Jesus sacrifice wasn't either, but through His death and resurrection we are with God again.  Can you imagine a sacrifice so big that would pay for the sins of the world? 

We are no longer marked with sin. Our hearts are clean. We are white as snow. 

Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."