ASH WEDNESDAY
Isaiah 58:5-7 NRSV
Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
God’s desire in anything we do begins with personal humility and leads to serving others. Through Isaiah, God says His desire is that we bring justice where there is injustice, help with the basic sustenance of those who are in need, and give attention to the relationships we have with other people. This is what Jesus meant when He talked about determining where our hearts are: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NRSV).
Our Christian living is not primarily about ourselves. Doing spiritual acts is not just about our own spiritual growth. Being a Christian is not just about our own hope of eternal life. If all that I do as a Christian is for my own growth or “image” or “eternal security,” then I’m not laying up treasure in heaven; all the reward I’ll have is in this life and not the next. However, if what we do as followers of Christ comes from a heart that desires to see “His Kingdom come and His will be done” – to love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves – then there will be great reward both here and eternally.
Reach Out and Touch
Charles F. Brown
Reach out and touch a soul that is hungry,
Reach out and touch a spirit in despair.
Reach out and touch a life torn and dirty,
A man who is lonely – if you care.
Reach out and touch that neighbor who hates you,
Reach out and touch that stranger who meets you.
Reach out and touch the brother who needs you,
Reach out and let the smile of God touch through you.
Reach out and touch a friend who is weary,
Reach out and touch a seeker unaware.
Reach out and touch though touching means losing
A part of yourself – if you dare.
Reach out and give your love to the loveless,
Reach out and make a home for the homeless.
Reach out and share God’s light in the darkness.
Reach out, and let the smile of God touch through you.
Reach Out and Touch
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Corinthians 4.15).
