To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.
Exodus 24:17-18
Moses and the Israelites are finally at a place in their travels where they can rest a while and just listen to all God has to say. They’ve witnessed Gods hand at work around them and they’ve seen his presence go before them, and at this point they are fully trusting him.
When Moses went and told the people all the Lords words and laws, they responded with one voice, “everything the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.
Exodus 24:3-4
The leaders and the people praised God. They sat at the bottom of the mountain and they worshipped the Lord together. Then Moses and the leaders went up the mountain a bit more and actually saw God. They were in awe of his presence, and they rested. Then God called Moses specifically to move on, he asked Moses to come be with him for 40 days and 40 nights to hear from him, learn from him, and be able to lead others closer to him.
You know, there’s something about 40 in the Bible…..Rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights to flood the earth. It took 40 days to embalm Jacobs body before burying him back in Canaan. The Israelite spies took 40 days to explore Canaan and decide they were too afraid to go in. The Israelites had to roam the wilderness for 40 years before going into the promised land. Both David, the king after Gods own heart, and his son, Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, reigned 40 years. And Jesus, he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted by the devil.
In each of these 40s, either days or years, God is using the time to grow each person into a deeper relationship with him. Noah sought God and probably wondered whether he would survive on that boat. Joseph’s brothers had to learn to trust their brother Joseph as their father laid dead waiting to be buried. Moses heard and wrote the 10 Commandments to lead the Israelites after 40 days on the mountain with God. The spies witnessed great things in Canaan, but feared the people more, and had to learn over 40 years in the wilderness how to trust God. David learned how to lead well and seek God in his 40 year reign; Solomon saw wisdom and found it in his 40 years. And Jesus…he experienced all the Temptations that we would ever experience and overcame them, so he could be fully human and fully God to die for us and save us.
You know what else, there’s something about 40 in the Bible but there’s also something about 40 in the world.
When you hit 40 years old…ahem… Most of us hit mid-life. For most of us, over the first 40 years we are learning and choosing how we will live the next 40 and for the last 40 we live out our choices. Then there’s the 40 days. In 40 days, from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter, we can practice Lent, an act of fasting that reflects Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness. This 40 day fast is giving up SOMETHING to grow closer to the SOMEONE who gave up EVERYTHING for us.
No matter if our 40 is in days or years, weeks or months. We can choose to grow closer to God in our 40, to learn and grow and lead; or we can choose to ignore God in our 40, to lose ourself for the world.
My first 40 was a cycle: storm(trial), walk with God(lean in and grow), calm before the storm(comfort), storm, walk with God, calm before the storm and so on and so forth. (I can count at least 8 cycles thus far!) Friends, it started from conception and hasn’t stopped. But in my 40 I’ve continually learned from each cycle and grown closer to God. I love and trust Him more every day because of it. And one of my favorite growth periods is during my participation in Lent. (Thank you, Tommy and Tessera, for teaching me and leading me in this process years ago.)
I love 40….not 40 years old….but the growth to God in 40. Whether it be in a 40 day fast or over 40 years, God can use your 40, too. My next 40 is just getting started, and from my experience in this last 40 I can’t wait to see how God reveals himself more over the years to come and the Leaning into His love.
So HERE’s to 40, and all it brings!
*Lent starts February 17th this year, just in case you want to join me 🙌
Running 2 Fly 