Ash Wednesday - The Party's Over | Lent Devotional Day 1

Lent 2026 DevotionalCore | Exploring the Meaning of Jesus’ Death
February 18, 2026 
Written by: Melissa Ross

Ash Wednesday: The Party’s Over

Scripture:

5:15 Joy has left our heart;
        our dancing has changed into lamentation.
16 The crown has fallen off our head.
        We are doomed because we have sinned.
17 Because of all this our heart is sick;
        because of these things our glance is dark.  (Lamentations 5:15-17) 

Reflection

Yesterday, there was a vibrant and fun celebration.  Those celebrating Mardi Gras danced in the streets, adorned with colorful necklaces and sated with decadent foods and intoxicating beverages.

Today, our foreheads are marked with ashes and we remember our mortality.  Ashes to ashes, dust to dust (Ecclesiastes 3:20).  Overnight, our priorities have shifted and our countenance has changed. Rather than looking out, our eyes and our spirits are downcast. The season of Lent has begun.  In the church, Lent is known as the season of mourning, a season of waiting.  But what are we waiting for?

Jesus’ death.  Jesus’ resurrection.  Many who believe in Jesus as the Son of God enter into Lent believing that Jesus comes to the cross so that “everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  Jesus’ death is a weighty reality: God chose to have Jesus to give his own life for human sin so that we might experience abundant life (John 10:9-10). Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, giving his own life to wipe away the sins of humans–like you, like me–is described by theologians as “atonement”.  

This idea of atonement can make it difficult for someone to commit to the Christian faith. You may wonder: what did I do that was so bad that Jesus had to die in my place? Was there any other way to reconcile or redeem the relationship between God and humans?  If God is holy and good, why would He exact such a bloody sacrifice?  What kind of father would expect his beloved son to die in place of unworthy people?  These are just a few of the age old questions, and you could probably add more.

During this Lenten season, our church will examine questions about how Jesus’ death “atones” for human sin.  This is a challenging and bold commitment.  These questions have been debated by devoted and wise faith experts and leaders over centuries.  

As we mark our foreheads with ashes, we are sharing an outward sign of our faith.  May this one step encourage you to consider deepening your faith in the coming weeks.  Our Sunday services and daily devotions are an opportunity to examine our faith and contemplate what we believe about Jesus and his death.  This time of reflective waiting can help us consider challenging ideas and become more committed to following Jesus and his example of loving others.  And this culminates on Easter Sunday when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and his victory over death for himself and all who believe in him.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we are sitting in our ashes and know that we are days away from the cross. Make this season of Lent a time that we can grow in our understanding of you and our understanding of how others see you.  Help us to have open minds and be sensitive that things we may have heard or learned along our individual paths may be different from others’ experience.  This is a time to trust in you, in your examples and in your Word.  We love you, Jesus.  Amen. 

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