A common phrase said among believers at an Ash Wednesday service is “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” From an outsider’s perspective, that seems really depressing. It’s a reminder of hopelessness and death. But if you are a member of the body of Christ, that phrase has a different meaning. It’s a call to humble yourself and direct your attention to your Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the reason that dust is not a symbol of the end of your life but rather the indication of a new life full of hope. Ash Wednesday is the onset of a season of reflection and self-examination to deepen your relationship with Jesus.

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