On February 14, our church will host a special Ash Wednesday service at 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary to commence the beginning of Lent. The Lenten season is a solemn yet transformative journey for Christians, comprising a 40-day period (Sundays excluded) of reflection, repentance, and spiritual preparation leading up to Easter. Have you ever wondered why Lent is 40 days? Interested in our theme? I’m glad you asked!    

Ash Wednesday day serves as a poignant reminder of human mortality, with the imposition of ashes symbolizing repentance and a commitment to transformation. We have chosen “Abundant Love, Amazing Grace” for our Lenten theme here at HRBC, drawn from Psalm 51:1 and Isaiah 58:11-12. To assist your journey through Lent, we have created a devotional guide, The Road Through Lent and Easter. Inside this issue, our staff and I have written devotionals for each week. You will also find daily scripture readings from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. We hope this guide will help deepen your faith and connect you with other members of HRBC and with Christians throughout the world. It’s available online and for pickup at church.

Why 40 days?

In the Bible, the period of 40 days is referenced multiple times, often symbolizing a significant period of time marked by testing, preparation, or purification. Here are some notable occurrences: 

1. Noah’s Flood (Genesis 7:12, 17): In the story of Noah’s Ark, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, leading to the flood that covered the earth.
2. Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18): Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai, receiving the Ten Commandments from God.
3. Spies in Canaan (Numbers 13:25): The spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan spent 40 days there before returning with their report. 
4. Israelites’ Wanderings (Numbers 14:33-34): As punishment for their lack of faith, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, with each day representing a year. 
5. Elijah’s Journey (1 Kings 19:8): After defeating the prophets of Baal, Elijah journeyed for 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb, where he encountered God. 
6. Jonah’s Warning to Nineveh (Jonah 3:4): Jonah prophesied that Nineveh would be overthrown in 40 days if its people did not repent. 
7. Jesus’ Temptation in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:2): Before beginning his ministry, Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan.
8. Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Period (Acts 1:3): After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days, teaching them about the kingdom of God.

There are some other scriptural references that encompass periods of “40” as well. But this list provides a sense of how people throughout the biblical record experienced seasons of repentance, spiritual reflection and preparation in their spiritual lives and divine purpose. This Lenten season, I pray that we will be like clay in the hands of the potter, shaped and formed to be more and more like Jesus. 

Isaiah the prophet wrote,  

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. 
    We are the clay, you are the potter; 
    we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

In Christ’s love,