Jimmy Cochran Columnist

  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes on Him will not die for eternity, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

  Today is Ash Wednesday. You’ll be seeing people in the stores and offices, others walking down the street and in your neighborhoods with smudgy foreheads that look like they missed a spot in their morning bath. More than likely, they have been to an Ash Wednesday service in a local church where ashes were applied to their foreheads to symbolize the beginning of the Holy Season of the Christian Church. Why ashes, you might ask? Ashes serve as a reminder of our mortality before God and when visibly applied, remind all those we meet that all people will eventually die and return “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” And without accepting the gift of God in Jesus, our mortal life ends with no hope for eternal life in God’s Heaven.

  Ash Wednesday also begins the Season of Lent which is a 40-day period that we, as Christians, continue to examine our own human spirit, the sins in our lives and the hope that God can give us. Many people will “give up” something they like (chocolate, soft drinks, etc.) for Lent in order to remind themselves of the sufferings of Jesus and His ultimate gift of death for our sakes. Others may take on additional tasks of service to the community (for example, volunteering at local non-profits) to show how Jesus wants us to give back to others in need. This time of year is a deeply personal thing for me and for many Christians.

  Ash Wednesday and Lent are often associated with only the Catholic Church, but you can find many Protestant Churches observing the season and engaging in the time of self-study. We use the forty days to prepare our hearts for the day of celebration honoring the resurrection of Jesus.

  As I begin to prepare my heart for this season, I find the easiest spot to begin is at the beginning. And that beginning is Love. God. Loved. Us. More. Than. Imaginable. To draw closer to Him, we have to put aside ourselves and let this Love fill our bodies, souls, mind and every fiber of our being. In my experience, this is usually much easier said than done. There is a whole lot of Jimmy to get (and keep) out of the way before God can take complete occupancy. And, this same Jimmy, can be pretty selfish about "his space."

  As I look at the love-gift of God, Jesus, I know I do not deserve the Love. Never can, never will, yet God still gave it. That's the beauty of grace which we'll chat about next time. For now, on day one, I encourage you to just focus on this one truth. God loves you. Don't worry about your warts, poor grades, lack of a job, stupid mistakes you make...that's all overshadowed by those three words. God. Loves. You.

  Don't let the term Ash Wednesday scare you away. For those of us who may choose to attend a service where ashes are applied to the forehead, just remember it is simply a sign of humility before God. It is a day of reflection on what needs to change in our lives if we are to be fully Christian. It begins my journey to be a more effective Christian by Easter Sunday.  And don't forget to remind yourself today, God Loves You.

  And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy.