Evening Prayer 3-9-11

Reading:
Mark 1:1-13

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Today is Ash Wednesday.  It is the first day of the Great 40 Days of Lent.  This great season of the Church calls us right from the beginning to remember who we really are.  When the ashes are placed upon our heads, the Pastor recalls the words..."Remember O man that dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return."  We are dust that had breathed into it the breath of God so we are made in His image.

However, because of the choice of Adam and Eve in the Garden we have a problem that has marred the image that God placed in us.  We have a sin problem that separates us from God.  This sin problem is so great that we can not make ourselves right before God or begin to make the steps towards God.  Sin makes us think that we can do it on our own and that we somehow have what it takes to stand before God.  This is pride and self-righteousness that gets in our way.  You are lost in your sins and need to repent from them.  To repent means to turn around and walk in a different direction.

We are not without hope because as we read today, God is well pleased with His Son.  His Son who is the perfect Lamb of God who has come into the world to bear the sins of all humanity is that One that He is well pleased with.  He is not pleased with us, but He is pleased with His Son who died on the Cross for us and calls us by the Gospel to new life.  In Baptism God causes the change in you when He removes your sinful garments and places on you the righteous robe of Christ.  So when He sees you, He no longer sees your shortcomings, but the perfect life and work of His Son with whom He is pleased.  Wow, that is comforting news that God does not see my imperfection but the perfection of Jesus and He accounts Jesus' righteousness to me.

May we take the time this Lenten season to really look at our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin in our lives so that we can keep a Holy Lent.  By repenting may we receive the comfort of the Gospel and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.