(lent) 40

(lent begins to day. this is the first of what i hope will be a series simple posts for each day of lent.)

40.
the number of days Jesus spent in the wilderness. he fasted; was hungry and subsequently tested and tempted. he never wavered. (matthew 4:1-11)


the name of the song often used to close out concerts by irish rock band U2, based on Psalm 40. the song and Psalm begin with the phrase: "i waited patiently for the Lord, he inclined and heard my cry."
Lent, like advent, is about waiting... patiently... for salvation to come.


the year in which the Jewish festival of Passover is adopted by the Christians and renamed Easter.


also the year in which the first 'Christian' church comes to Egypt.


the number of years God's people (the Israelites), once slaves in Egypt, spent wandering in the desert after disobeying YHWH. centuries later, their ultimate redeemer and savior would come in the humblest of ways. His ministry would begin by spending, you guessed it, 40 days in the desert. and then the whole world changed...


how does 40 compel change in you?