Psalm 32:1-5
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” vs. 5
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, forty days for followers of Jesus to reflect on his suffering and death, and perhaps engage in their own time of fasting and meditation. During worship today, in many places, believers will receive on their foreheads an ashen cross while hearing the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Some will keep that mark on their faces through the day, an announcement to the world of their faith and a confession of their own mortality. It’s one of the few times for Christians to make that kind of public acknowledgement of their sin and their commitment to Jesus. While for some that openness is an embarrassment to be avoided, for others it’s a precious moment, an open declaration of their need for forgiveness. Such confession is important for all, whether or not we get the mark of ashes, for without it there is no declaration of forgiveness. Some have a hard time confessing…they don’t like to think of sin…it’s too negative, and they want to be positive people. Yet the truth is that all are sinners…and the quickest, most effective way to get rid of the accompanying guilt, is to simply confess. Forgiveness follows…and with it comes peace, our most precious gift from God.
Thought for the Day: How is baptism connected to the mark of the cross?
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