This past Sunday we celebrated our daughter Joneen’s 40th birthday. And this, of course, is in the middle of the 40 days of Lent.

This has inspired a further focus on 40, and what it might inspire in us during this season of celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection. A quick review reminds us of the significance of the number 40 throughout the Bible. Noah was 40 days and nights on the ark. The Egyptian embalming period was 40 days (Jacob). The Israelite spies spent 40 days exploring Canaan, and due to their fear and lack of trust in God (except for Joshua & Caleb) the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. During this time, Moses spent 40 days and nights on Mt. Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments.

There were several significant events for individuals who were 40 years old, several periods of either peace or captivity for 40 years, several kings who reigned for 40 years, but most significant of all was Jesus’ temptation by the devil for 40 days, and the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension.

Taken overall, we see that the number 40 represents the completion of something, or fulfillment – sometimes for the positive, sometimes for the negative.

But in application to our own lives, we may choose from time to time to commit ourselves to 40 days of something (fasting) in order to focus on the object of our devotion, or desired outcome. While it doesn’t have to be a literal 40 days, there is a set period of time to complete before the commitment is fulfilled. Ultimately, this represents the spiritual discipline we must commit ourselves to from time to time, in order to bring fulfillment to all that God desires for us to experience in Him.

This all then ultimately leads to the fulfillment of what God promised to us in Christ from the beginning, declared by Paul in Ephesians 1:7-10: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."

“When the times reach their fulfillment”… No one knows the day or the hour, but we all can be ready by devoting ourselves to the Lord during the “40 days” we have left … keep your focus on Him.

The Rev. Jon Pomeroy is co-director of Helping Hands Healing Hearts.