Daily Reading
Reflection
For nearly a thousand years, the church has begun the season of Lent with a paraphrase of the words of v. 19: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return." In the primeval biblical story of the first humans, these are God's words of judgment. The disruption caused by sin means that we all will die.
But do we really need reminding? Some psychologists say that all human religious and ethical aspirations are nothing but exercises in terror management in the face of the terrible certainty of oblivion. But when Christians say these words, it's more than a reminder of something awful. It is also an invitation.
Coupled with the words of Genesis and the imposition of ashes (a sign of our mortality), we also repeat the words of Jesus in Mark 1:15: "repent and believe the gospel." We impose the ashes in the sign of the cross. We remember our mortality in the light of the cross of Jesus, the one who took our judgment upon himself and defeated the power of death. The invitation is to repent, to rethink our lives.
So, ask yourself: in the short span of my life, is my heart gripped by the promise of the good news of the gospel? As I consider my life—my priorities, concerns, passions—are they being shaped by the truth of what Jesus has done for me? Has the terror given way to the joy of good news?
Daily Worship Resources
Daily Office Readings come from the Book of Common Prayer, a schedule of daily Bible reading that accords with the Church year. These readings are great worship resources for personal, family, or group use. Use it along with your City Church Worship Folder as a resource for readings, prayers, and hymns.
Printable Devotion