Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Forty Days

Often in the Bible we find stories of events that lasted 40 days. Can you remember any of them?
  • The rain fell to flood the earth- 40 days and 40 nights
  • The Egyptian physicians embalmed Israel (aka Jacob)
  • Moses spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai jotting down the 10 commandments (twice)
  • The 12 spies spent 40 days exploring the promised land
  • Goliath challenged the Israelite army every day for 40 days before David took him down
  • Elijah ran away from Jezebel, a 40 day journey
  • God gave the Ninevites 40 days to repent
  • Jesus fasted in the desert 40 days before he began his public ministry
  • Jesus stayed 40 days on the earth after his resurrection

So many things accomplished in a 40 day span. People around the world today knelt to have an ashen cross drawn on their foreheads. Today, they enter into a period of remembrance, of repentance, and sorrow for what they have done this year.

I've never observed Lent, though I'm intrigued by the idea of sacrificing something for the sake of remembering my sins and Jesus' suffering. God worked so many sacred rhythms into our lives, I can't help but believe he must be pleased by the millions who sacrifice in his memory. Lent is like the modern, stretched out Yom Kippur, a chance to let go of all the evil that weighs us down and be rescued.

If you had to give something up, what would it be? Chocolate? Coffee? Movies? Are the things we surrender really where we should be spending our resources in the first place?

What will you do with your next 40 days?

1 comment:

Carolyn McCord said...

I have never read the full Bible, but I did start the old testament recently (I have read the New T). Anyway there were 2 things that really caught my attention - well maybe more than 2, but you know what I mean. One was the repetition of certain numbers & the other was the many names that were given to God. I'm not certain why but I was compelled to underline the names & numbers. I'm sure if anyone picks up my Bible they are going to wonder what is going on. Don't know what I will do with the next 40 days, but I hope that it will be something that glorifies God.