Today is Ash Wednesday. The period of forty days before Easter (not counting the intervening Sundays). Forty is a significant number in the Bible and in the Christian tradition. It is a period of time for reflection, trial, testing, change and preparation. The forty days in Lent are a reminder of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness. It is in these forty Lenten days that we reflect, change and prepare for Easter. We strive to become more like Christ- by giving up something (sacrifice) or by taking on a new discipline.

Forty is a significant number in the Bible: forty days and nights of rain during the flood; forty years of wandering in the desert for the disobedient Israelites; forty days on the mountain while Moses received the Ten Commandments; the Philistines taunted the Israelites for forty days before David took on Goliath; it took Elijah forty days of fleeing Queen Jezebel before he heard God’s small voice in the cave; Jesus was with his disciples forty days after he was resurrected and before He ascended to heaven.

Saw this on a friend’s Facebook page. Thought it was appropriate for the times.

There is debate over the meaning of the number- is it literally forty or figuratively- meaning a long time/awhile? Either way, it is a time for Christ’s followers to set apart and think about things, take some action and prepare for the times to come. [Fun fact, the word quarantine comes from the Italian word, quarantina- when ships came from an infected port, the crew were required to remain aboard ship until forty days had passed, assuming that any diseases would have died out by then.]

This year, I hope to lean into Lent and set apart some time for reflection. I am hoping to take on a writing practice (my preferred action for change) for the forty days. Part of that writing practice is to try and see my “neighbors” as Jesus sees them- as created beings who are deeply loved by God, just as they are. That includes even those who are my “enemies”. I am also trying to let go of some things too- preconceived ideas and frustration with those who do not see things as I do. Just like a quarantine, my hope is that by not picking up that which I let go, I can let those practices “die out”.

What about you? Do you have a Lenten practice? What is it? Do you give up anything at Lent? Take on a new practice or action?

Another fun fact- pregnancy is approximately forty weeks. In that time, a woman experiences reflection, trials, change and preparation. The end result is growth and new life. May we, as we reflect, prepare and change through Lent, come into Easter with growth and new life.

Just heard from Guideposts- In God’s Time, will soon be published. Folks can preorder here: https://guideposts.org/shop/product/in-gods-time/. (discount code: AUTHOR15). It is an anthology of 45 stories of transformation and answered prayer. I have the privilege of contributing one of those stories.