Have you ever noticed how often the number 40 is mentioned in the Bible?
The rains of the great flood fell for 40 days and 40 nights. Before receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting on Mt. Sinai. The children of Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness. When they arrived at the Promised Land, the spies spent 40 days and 40 nights scouting the land.
Before being killed by David性视界传媒檚 slingshot, the giant Goliath spent 40 days taunting God性视界传媒檚 people. The Prophet Elijah spent 40 days and 40 nights fleeing without food to Mt. Horeb. Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by the devil. After his resurrection, he appeared to his disciples for a period of 40 days before ascending into heaven.
And that性视界传媒檚 only a handful of all the 性视界传媒渇orties性视界传媒 found in the Bible.
Even a cursory study of all those forties reveals a pattern 性视界传媒 a common thread 性视界传媒 between them. They were all times of testing and teaching. They were times when God allowed his people to struggle and face challenges in order to grow them stronger and closer to him.
Right now, we find ourselves in the middle of a famous 40 known as the season of Lent.
The original name for Lent in Latin is 性视界传媒淨uadragesima,性视界传媒 which literally means 性视界传媒渇ortieth.性视界传媒 Patterned after the famous forties in the Bible, the season of Lent is comprised of the 40 days before Good Friday and Easter. It is meant to be a time of fasting and prayer 性视界传媒 a time of testing and teaching 性视界传媒 to prepare us to remember and celebrate Jesus性视界传媒 death and resurrection.
Lent is a time to strip away all the distractions in our lives and focus on what is truly important. Lent is a time to grow in our understanding and appreciation for what Jesus did for us. The 40 days of Lent are meant to be a time of testing and teaching.
Right now, I find myself in my own personal 40 days and 40 nights 性视界传媒 my own personal Lent 性视界传媒 a season of testing and teaching. My family is facing health and personal issues the likes of which we have never experienced.
I性视界传媒檒l be honest. It性视界传媒檚 hard. I am tired and hurting.
And I don性视界传媒檛 know how long it is going to last. It could be 40 days or 40 years. What I do know is that it won性视界传媒檛 last forever. The lesson we learn from the famous forties of the Bible is that they always came to an end. Times of testing and teaching were always temporary. God always got his people through. He used their struggles to strengthen them and bring them closer to him.
That is my comfort right now. Just as the solemn season of Lent ends with Jesus rising victorious from the tomb, so I know my story and the story of my family has a happy ending. We will come out of this victorious. Because of Jesus, we can性视界传媒檛 lose.
For now, however, we are still in Lent. We are still in our 40 days and 40 nights.
Many of you are as well. If you find yourself in a time of trial, remember that this is only a season of life. It is temporary. God is allowing this for your good. He will get you through.
Easter is coming.
