LENT, DAY ONE: MARKED FOR THE KINGDOM
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground..." Genesis 3:19
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matthew 4:17
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Believers around the world take a moment out of their day to visit a spiritual leader who will draw a cross on their forehead. On this day, we are reminded of a truth that we sometimes avoid: that we are human… we are finite, fragile… we are formed from dust and sustained only by the grace of God. “From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return” is not meant to frighten us, but to humble us. Without the titles, the pride, the achievements, and the illusion of control, we are reminded that every breath we take is borrowed from God.
As we remember our frailty, Jesus calls us to repentance and renewal. This is good news because it means that our story does not end in dust. God takes what is ordinary, broken, and temporary and breathes divine purpose into it.
Ashes teach us that life is short, and God’s mercy is great. The ashes invite us to slow down, take a deep breath, examine our hearts, and realign our lives with what truly matters. This season begins on our knees so that we may learn how to walk in humility and faith.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What areas of your life have made you feel self-reliant instead of God-dependent?
How does remembering your humanity change the way you approach God today?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATIONS:
I am dust, sustained by divine mercy.
The God who formed me delights in caring for me.
KINGDOM MARKER:
Humility positions us to become spiritually committed citizens of God’s Kingdom.
TODAY’S PRAYER:
Lord, I know that You have made me from dust. I also know that eventually I will return to dust. Help me, Lord, to keep my mortality in perspective, stay focused on You and the work that You have called me to in Your Kingdom, and help me to be a reminder to others of how great and mighty You are. Amen
