“Eyes on Jesus: Experience His Deep Love this Lent.”

On this Ash Wednesday, as we begin the Lenten season, we remember the familiar words of Genesis 3:19, “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  Many will have the imposition of Ashes and leave their place of worship with the cross of ashes on their forehead.  The cross, the words -- they are a humbling reminder of our mortality.  The reality is that none of us can live forever on our own, no matter how we try or by the help of medicine or science. 

This can be humbling, it can be defeating, it can cause one to lose hope, and it can cause one to live in the moment chasing after pleasures or ways to beat death. 

It also points to something much bigger.  A love story of a heavenly Father longing to save His fallen people and making the ultimate sacrifice out of that love.  The theme this Lenten season is Eyes on Jesus, particularly “O Love, How Deep “ (LSB. Hymn 544:1). 

O love, how deep, how broad, how high,

Beyond all thought and fantasy,

That God, the Son of God, should take

Our mortal form for mortal's sake.

We are pointed to the love of God through Jesus.  This love isn't a fantasy, it is not some fleeting thing never to be obtained, and it is not a promise that will never come to be.  No, this love points to the fact that the creator of this universe sent His Son Jesus into this world as a human, as one of us, that we might be reconciled with Him and have eternal life.

As we begin this Lenten season, let us keep our eyes on Jesus, for through Him that heaviness is removed as our mortality becomes immortality.  For through those dust and ashes it is showing and reminding us of the encompassing love God has for us.

Let us pray.

With penitent hearts we come to you this Ash Wednesday asking that we keep our eyes on you, Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  As we keep our eyes on you, may your love for us take on deeper meaning. Guide us through these forty days, that through faith in you and the love shown to us in your redemptive work we would live eternally in your kingdom which has no end.  Amen.

Pastor Daniel Cohn

Albany Zone Pastoral Counselor

St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Hudson