40 days

Lent is 40 days long. I say it again... loooooong. If you have chosen to abstain from something for Lent this year, or have done so in the past, you probably understand why I say this.

I can maintain anything for a couple weeks. It is a challenge to continue being intentional about this observance of Lent for 40 days plus the Sabbath days. March 5-April 20.

I have been pondering how long 40 days feels. I am pondering how 40 days played out in the Scriptures

Noah and the Ark-40 days and 40 nights
Moses when he was getting the 10 commandments-40 days and 40 nights
The 12 who went down to spy on Canaan- 40 days
Goliath went and took his stand for 40 days before David came along
After being strengthened by the Lord, Elijah went 40 days to Horeb (the Mountain of the Lord)
Nineveh had 40 days to repent after Jonah talked to them.
Jesus himself was 40 days in the wilderness
After His resurrection Jesus appeared for 40 days speaking of the Kingdom of God

I have only given up watching TV shows at home. But I am learned how long 40 days really is. Big changes happen in 40 days. Massively important aha moments with God happen in 40 days.

Today is day 21 of the Lenten time. In our reFresh UnHurry Up into Easter, Lenten Pilgrimage we are asked to spend time with this verse: O that today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts... Ps. 95:7-8

hmmm... listening to His voice. Each of the 40 days listed above have something to do with listening to the Lord's voice. Oh may I really listen during this Lenten season.

Try as I might, I can't make it right

Yesterday I gave myself about 45 mins to get to an Ash Wednesday service in Vancouver, WA. I was departing from a place that in normal conditions would take 13 mins for the trip. 

I thought I had made provisions and I thought I would even be early. 

As I sat in traffic, with no foreseeable out, (1.5hours to go 70 blocks) I began to tear up with the frustration of it all. 

I don't like being late

I don't want my boyfriend to worry about me

I don't want to seem disrespectful to the church or the service

All that time gave me space to think and pray, along with good reminders from my boyfriend to relax and that God still loves me...

I realized that try as I may to make things work last night, the circumstances were out of my hands. I could do nothing to change the rain, wind, traffic. 

Oh to remember, especially in this Lent season, how amazing that God sent His Son to die for our sins. Nothing we could do, would make it right. God had to make it right. 

The service ended at 6:30 and I arrived at 6:15 and was blessed by those 15 mins. 

So grateful for God's grace and sacrifice.