The Labour Spokesman
On Ash Wednesday Christians the world over accepted ash on their foreheads in the sign of the cross. One of the main reminders attached to this practice is that Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God Almighty, sacrificed his earthly life and died for the salvation of all mankind. Another reminder is the fact that, in our earthly or temporal form, we came from dust, and to dust we shall all return. This should help us to understand that all of life is a journey, with a beginning and an end, and Lent is an annual reminder that we should untiringly prepare ourselves for our eventual reunion with God, our Heavenly Father.
We should always remember that salvation is not a ‘one-time’ affair. Satan and his agents are ALWAYS hard at work. Thus, every time that we are saved there is always the possibility that we may slide back into evil. Thus our need for spiritual renewal is a constant one. Lent is a reminder and an opportunity to renew our spiritual strength. When Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray for forty days and forty nights, it was to remove himself from the distractions of daily life so that he could enter into closer communications with His Heavenly Father. In like manner we can use this season of Lent to re-connect with our Heavenly Father.