“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6). It is time to seek the Lord; it is time to return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. In this season of Lent we earnestly seek to be reconciled to God, to possess our promised inheritance, and to be prepared for faithful ministry. I shared the following seven Biblical instances which we extend today:
Reconciliation with God:
1) The 40-day ultimatum for Nineveh’s destruction was cancelled when they turned to God with prayer, fasting and repentance (Jonah 3:4-10).
Promised Inheritance:
2) The 40-day rainfall that caused a great flood was escaped by Noah and his people through faithful obedience to God and His providence (Gen 7:17-18).
3) The 40-day tormenting confrontation of Israel by the Philistine Goliath was cut short by David in the name of the Lord God Almighty (17:16, 45-50).
4) It took Moses’ spies 40 days to survey the Promised Land and report. Joshua and Caleb’s account was their ticket into the land (Num 13:25, 30).
Preparing for Ministry:
5) Moses received the Ten Commandments after 40 days of fasting and devotion – alone with God – at Mount Horeb (also called Sinai) (Ex 34:28).
6) Elijah received instructions at Mount Horeb about his final phase of ministry and his successor after 40 days of fasting and seeking God (1Kings 19:7-8).
7) Jesus launched his ministry after 40 days of prayer and fasting and defeating the devil in the Judean wilderness (Matt 4:1-2, 17).
As we reflect on hindrances to following Jesus today, we also remind ourselves that discipline is indispensable in our walk with God. Hindering circumstances that we succumb to and put us at enmity with God can be broken through prayer and fasting. Enemies or calamities (real or imagined) that keep us out of our promised inheritance of wellbeing and fulfillment can be defeated by God’s divine intervention if we turn to Him with all our hearts. And a higher level of following and serving our Lord Jesus Christ requires thorough prep by seeking God.
God bless you as you observe Lent.