RISE
Day Forty – Today is day forty. Have you ever noticed how large the number forty looms in scripture? It rained for forty days and forty nights while Noah and family were saved by the ark. The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years. From the time of Christ’s death until the time of the destruction of Jerusalem was, you guessed it, forty years. It is interesting and perhaps you will notice that these situations share not only the number 40, but the same basic theme – judgement and justice.
Israel refused to go into the promised land so…they spent forty years in a dry and thirsty land. The world had completely turned on God so…forty days of rain to completely cover the earth and kill all men. Israel refused the Christ, though he labored among them for three years teaching the truth, so…forty years to repent and come back. It is almost as if God is saying, “Well, if you don’t want to do it my way then I am going to give you some time to come around….forty years I think…and then, if there are no changes, destruction will come swiftly.” It is as if God has determined that forty is he number that describes the break point between his patience and judgment.
So, today is our day forty and we are asking you to take stock…do inventory…give your account…examine self and ask that simple question – “If God were to judge you today, where would you stand?” We are forty days into this transformation process, but I have no delusions here about the impact. Many people will read each of these notes, but remain unaffected. They will keep the same rigidity of thinking, the same sour disposition, the same level of knowledge and the same bad habits. On a base level they appreciate the message, but it is of no benefit.
We are forty days in and have to wonder about how God sees us. If it were forty years and today we were judged, where would the chips fall? Today is day forty. Are you wandering in the wilderness or will you enter the promised land?
