
Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” —Genesis 18:27
Even Abraham knew he was but dust and ashes in the sight of the Lord. So on this Ash Wednesday, we acknowledge to ourselves, to God and to one another that we, too, are but dust and ashes. It is in essence an understanding that we are nothing in and of ourselves. We are only something because of our God. We are only precious because Christ came to suffer and die and become nothing for us on the cross. We are only alive today because the risen Christ lives in us. Everything we have and are we owe to him eternally. So we put a cross of ash on our foreheads today, but we know we will one day wear a crown of glory on our heads in heaven with Jesus.