40 Days and 40 Nights

I originally wrote this as an article for the Family Life (the news letter for the Church of Christ in Falls Church, VA.) on Easter Sunday, April 26th 2020 but I feel it has a message for everyone during the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Friday, March 13th 2020 Fairfax County Public School decided to suspend classes until after Spring Break.  On that day I began counting my COVID-19 Day Count in my journal.  Almost everyday since then I have been writing in my journal.  I am keeping track of some of the news.  I am keeping track what day of the week it is.  I am keeping track of my thoughts and feeling.  I am keeping track of the numbers of days in my count.

On Tuesday, April 21st 2020 my count reached 40.  At first I didn’t think much of that until I realized that was 40 days!  This is an important biblical number.

In the story of Noah and the Ark the LORD sends rain for 40 days and nights. (Genesis 7)

Moses is on the mount Sinai with the LORD for 40 days and nights. (Exodus 24:18 & 34:28)

Moses then spends 40 days and nights in prayer and fasting on behalf of the people because of their sin. (Deuteronomy 9:18)

The Israelite scouts explore the land for 40 days. (Numbers 13:25)

Goliath taunts the Israelites for 40 days before David arrives. (1 Samuel 17:16)

Elijah takes 40 days and 40 nights to travel to Mount Horeb. (1 Kings 19:8)

Jonah proclaims Nineveh will be destroyed in 40 days and nights if they don’t repent. (Jonah 3:4)

Jesus fasts and is tempted by the Devil for 40 days and 40 nights. (Mark 1:3, Matthew 4:2 & Luke 4:2)

Jesus then appears to many over a period of 40 days following His resurrection. (Acts 1.3)

Depending on your count, we have spent at least 40 days and 40 nights with our stay at home order.

We won’t know how Noah and his family felt to be in an Ark for 40 days.  We won’t know what it was like for Elijah to walk for 40 days.  We won’t know how it felt for Moses or Jesus to fast for 40 days.  What we do have is a good point of reference for understanding what 40 days and 40 nights feels like.  It feels like a really long time and at the same time doesn’t feel that long at all.

Right now we know the stay at home order will expire on June 10th but we don’t know how long after that it will take for life to feel normal.  Just like at the end of these 40 days there will be a new normal.  One thing that didn’t change at the end of the 40 days and won’t change when we start to feel normal is the fact that the LORD is with us!