Author: Alan Mathew

Reading – Psalm 51:10–12 (NIV)

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

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Reflection

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent—a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. In many Christian traditions, ashes are placed on the forehead as a sign of humility and mortality. In the Presbyterian Church, we may not use ashes in worship, but we still enter into the same spirit of the day: a quiet honesty before God.

Psalm 51 gives us language for that honesty. It is not a psalm of despair but of deep trust. David comes before God not with excuses, not with self-justification, but with a heart laid bare. And in that vulnerability, he discovers something astonishing: God meets him with mercy.

Lent is not about self-punishment. It is not about proving our worth. It is about clearing away the noise so we can hear God again. It is about recognising the places where we have drifted, and gently turning back. It is about remembering that we are human—finite, fragile, imperfect—and yet deeply loved.

At Bellshill Central, we know that faith is lived in the real world: in the pressures of work, the demands of family life, the joys and challenges of community, the quiet moments when we wonder if we’re doing enough. Ash Wednesday invites us to bring all of that to God without pretending.

“Create in me a pure heart… renew a steadfast spirit…”
These are not words of defeat. They are words of hope.
They remind us that God is not finished with us.
They remind us that renewal is possible.
They remind us that grace is always the first word and the last.

As we begin this Lenten journey, may we walk it not with heaviness but with expectation—trusting that God will shape us, guide us, and restore us.

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Prayer

Holy and gracious God,
as we enter this season of Lent,
we come to you with open hearts.
We confess the ways we fall short—
in our actions, our words, and our silence.
Yet we trust in your mercy,
your patience, and your unfailing love.

Create in us clean hearts,
renew our spirits,
and draw us closer to you.

In our church family here at Bellshill Central,
strengthen our fellowship,
deepen our compassion,
and guide us in the way of Christ.

May this season be one of growth,
of honesty,
and of renewed hope.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Reading – Joel 2:12–13 (NIV)

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Rend your heart and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love.

Reflection

Shrove Tuesday sits in that quiet space between ordinary time and the long, reflective road of Lent. Traditionally a day for using up rich ingredients before the fast, it has always carried a deeper meaning: a moment to pause, to take stock, and to be honest with ourselves before God.

The word shrove comes from “to shrive”—to confess, to be absolved, to be set right again. It’s not about guilt or gloom; it’s about clearing the clutter so grace has room to breathe.

Joel’s words speak straight into that moment. “Return to me with all your heart.” Not half-heartedly. Not out of duty. Not with outward show. God asks for something far more real: a heart that is willing to turn, to soften, to begin again.

At Bellshill Central, we know that faith is lived in the everyday—between school runs, work shifts, caring responsibilities, choir rehearsals, and community commitments. Shrove Tuesday invites us to bring all of that to God. The hurried bits. The weary bits. The hopeful bits. The bits we’d rather hide.

And the promise is simple and beautiful:
God meets us with compassion.
God welcomes us with patience.
God surrounds us with love that does not run out.

As we step into Lent, we don’t do so to prove ourselves. We do it to make space—space for prayer, for kindness, for reflection, for God’s quiet voice. Shrove Tuesday is the doorway. Lent is the journey. Easter is the destination.

May this be a season where our hearts are renewed, our burdens lightened, and our hope restored.

Prayer

Gracious and loving God,
as we stand on the threshold of Lent,
help us to pause and breathe in your presence.
Clear away the noise that distracts us
and the worries that weigh us down.

Turn our hearts toward you—
not in fear, but in trust;
not in duty, but in love.

Where we need healing, bring your gentleness.
Where we need courage, bring your strength.
Where we need forgiveness, bring your mercy.

Bless our church family here in Bellshill Central.
Guide us through this season with honesty, humility,
and a renewed sense of your grace at work among us.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.