The following was written on my old church blog back when I turned forty; not sure why I never posted it here, but better late than never, I guess.
On the day this blog posts, I will be turning 40. I’ve been panicking about it for months. No other number has bothered me, but this year has been different. Maybe it’s because I remember when my mom turned forty. My brother, sister, and I decorated our house in black and orange, and with every “Over the Hill” decoration we could find. I remember thinking, “How sad for her. She is SOOO old!” So now it’s my turn. I keep looking in the mirror and saying, “You’re forty.” And it doesn’t seem possible.
Since I was struggling with even saying the word ‘forty’ without a slight pain in my chest, I decided I needed some perspective on it. So I headed to the Scriptures. I knew about several of the major events in the Bible that included the number forty, and I’m sure you’ll recognize them, too. But there were other instances that I didn’t realize or remember until I searched. Take a quick ’40’ journey with me through the Word of God:
- God sent rain for forty days and forty nights to flood the earth (Genesis 7:12)
- Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20)
- Moses was on Mt. Sinai with God for forty days and forty nights – without eating food or drinking water – when he received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28)
- The Promised Land was spied out for forty days (Numbers 13:25)
- Joshua was forty years old when he went to spy out the Promised Land (Joshua 14:7)
- The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years – eating only manna and wearing clothing that never wore out (Deuteronomy 8:2-4)
- Abdon (one of the Judges) had forty sons (Judges 12:14)
- Goliath taunted the Israelites for forty days before David took a stand against him (1 Samuel 17:16)
- King David reigned for forty years (1 Kings 2:11)
- King Solomon reigned for forty years (1 Kings 11:42)
- Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan (Mark 1:13)
- Jesus appeared to the disciples after the resurrection for forty days (Acts 1:3)
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but it was enough to make me fully appreciate the number forty and come to love it. My forty years have not always been happy, but for the most part, they have been filled with love and blessings beyond measure. I came away from this short time in the Scriptures with a new and full appreciation of all my years. I have two wonderful sons, not forty. I’ve never seen it rain for more than four days in a row, much less forty. Even though I’m a picky eater, I’ve eaten a variety of foods – not just manna for forty straight years. And I’ve certainly been tempted, but not alone in the wilderness for forty days in a row.
So, I’ve decided to embrace forty. Whether you’re 20, 40, 60, 80 years old, or somewhere in between, you too can celebrate the significance of the number forty. Here are some ideas to try:
- Be still before the Lord for forty seconds (not praying, not reading, just being still and thinking about God)
- Give your children forty minutes of your undivided attention (or a friend, spouse, or relative)
- Read the Bible for forty minutes
- List forty things you are thankful for
- Pray for forty people this week. That sounds like a lot, but think of five or six people each day you can pray for specifically.
There are also larger-scale things you can do for forty hours or forty days – fasting, Bible studies/reading plans, etc. Experts say it takes about six weeks (approximately forty days) to form a habit. Maybe there’s a habit you would like to form? Eating healthier, praying more, reading more? Set a goal and do it for forty days. See where the number forty takes you! And please share – I’d love to hear about your journey with the number forty.
2026 Update: I’m not in my forties anymore (gulp!), but I am currently on day thirty-one of a forty-day regimen: reading a Proverb a day, reading five other Bible chapters a day, journaling, intermittent fasting, and documenting my weight. It’s the first time I’ve attempted multiple goals for forty days and writing out the progress every day. It’s been a great journey, and I’m hoping that after another nine days, it will be second nature.
INTERTWINED 