Day 1 - Ash Wednesday
I want to camp here for the next few weeks and do a Lent thing. Lent started last night with Ash Wednesday. It is supposed to be a somber day contemplating sin and its consequences. I want to do a Lent countdown for kids next year so this will be my blog updates for the next few weeks. I won’t make each day separately this year but maybe weekly and hopefully complete with pics.
Dust or ashes on the head in bible times was a sign of mourning (having pain and sadness over something going wrong or the loss of something) and sitting in the dust or ashes was a sign of affliction (tragedy, sickness, poverty, slavery, being wrongly accused) . This is a perfect symbol for today. We should mourn about our sin and the affliction that is causes. Sin separated us from God and there is nothing good outside of God's presence. If you see anything good on this earth it is because God is here or has given it to us. Evil is an affliction from sin – it caused a tragedy. Many people put a mark with ashes or dust on their forehead on Ash Wednesday to remember the disaster that sin caused.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Psalm 51:3-4 (ESV)
Read Genesis chapter 3 to discover the consequences of the first sin. Not only were there physical curses but there was also a spiritual curse put on mankind. What was that curse? (Clue: verses 19 & 22) Write your answer in the blank. Now find some dust and touch it with your finger and make a cross on the paper with it. Think of a sin you need to ask forgiveness for.
Prayer: Thank you for this season and the chance to remember who I am and my need for you. Holy Spirit bring to mind the things I need to ask forgiveness for. Help me to be humble during this season of Lent so that I can see and experience the importance of Christ's life, death and resurrection.
Coloring page:
