Are you ashy too?

                Today is the day known in the Christian community as Ash Wednesday. No that does not mean a day for you to skip out on Jergens or cocoa butter and Vaseline. In fact please slather it on my friend it's cold out there. Ash Wednesday is the start of the Lenten season. It is the day after Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday when traditionally we all get everything out of our system so that during this time we will be able to focus on God, His son Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifices that were made for our sins. Traditionally Christians attend services to confess their sins, have communion and ashes placed upon their heads as a sign of reverence and solemn reflection. Usually part of their confession is a statement of sacrifice or something that they chose to give up during this 40 day and night period of time. Some give up sweets, smoking, profanity, sex and others fast. During the days to come they pray fervently and trust God that they will come out on the other side better than they were before and more thankful of what Christ did for us.
           Now that I explained all of that my initial question was are you ashy too! What are ashes? And what does it mean to be ashy? Ashes are the remnants of something that was burned. It could be paper or wood or even human ashes. In biblical times people would offer up burnt sacrifices to the Lord when they wanted blessings or forgiveness. The ashes were a telltale sign of that sacrifice. In some cases people that grieved would cover their heads with ashes as a sign of morning. But if you think about it, ashes are the burning away of life. Let's look at this another way. When we typically burn trash we are making room for more trash and cleaning that which causes clutter and confusion in our homes. As it it is in the natural it is also in the spiritual. We all have something that we need to burn off of ourselves that is holding us back from a supernatural blessing and breakthrough. Whatever your vices may be is between you and God. But He is giving us time to burn it all off so that the remnant or the remembrance of them is in such a small quantity that it can just blow away with the wind.

            What are you saying preacher? Well here I go! The things that we carry seem so great and the burden is so heavy that it forces us to miss out on the very will of God. We are so busy looking down because of shame and worry and heaviness that we walk right past our blessings several times and cant see them. When God burns those things off of us suddenly what seemed so big becomes nothing more than ashes that become so light one blow will scatter them away. We are then able to walk straight up nd face the world with no shame knowing that right around the next corner is my blessing and this time nothing is going to stop me from getting it. Nothing should separate us from the love and blessings of God. Not death nor life, nor principalities or strongholds, nor burdens or pains, nor heartaches or sorrows, nor addictions or regrets. I'm on fire now so let me wrap this up.

           Once something becomes ashes it can never recover its original form. Therefore, those ashes of your past can never overtake you again because they longer exist. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Don't you feel lighter already? So this Lenten season let God do what He does best like only He can. He sacrificed His son for us to live why not sacrifice your strongholds so that you can have that life more abundantly. Trust me you won't even miss it when it's gone. But you have to be willing to go through the fire and the pressure to get it. But guess what the secret to all of it is? On the other side you will shine like gold and be stronger than diamond. So I chose to be ashy and I don't care what anyone has to say about it. Because I know if it wasn't for my ashes I can not be set free.

That's my confession! What's yours?