40 Days

That’s how long I have until I am Mrs. Perry. Only 40 days. I have been reflecting on the arrival of this number for a few weeks now. For some reason 40 days seems a bit more important than even 30 days or 5 days. 40 days.

You can do a lot of stuff in 40 days. You can change your diet, exercise plan, train for a race, flood the earth, be tempted by the devil, kill a giant…wait what?

Yes, it seems like 40 days occurred a lot in the Bible. Some major things happened during a 40 day time period. If you do a search for 40 days on Biblegateway.com, you get 22 results. The most notable are the flood, Moses on the mountain with God, Goliath taking his stand every day, Jesus in the wilderness and Jesus staying on earth for 40 days after his resurrection.

When I think back on some of these stories, it seems that 40 days was a time when God was preparing the hearts of his children. It was almost a holding tank, or a time when God needed to ready his warriors for battle. God was teaching them things so that they would be able to handle the aftermath of the 40 day period.

When you think about the result of what 40 days brought in these stories, it is mind blowing!

The flood-God created a rainbow as a promise with his children that he would never destroy the earth with flood ever again. It took a flood to eradicate sin and teach those that survived how important it is to hear and listen to God’s word and promises. (Gen 7-9)

Moses on the mountain-Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days, while God gave him the words to write and share the Ten Commandments. (Ex 34)

Goliath-Goliath came took his stand for 40 days taunting God’s children until a young David came on the 40th day and killed him with his slingshot saying-I come in the name of the Lord Almighty! (1 Sam 17)

Jesus in the wilderness-Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness while at the same time the Devil came to him and tempted him. Jesus resisted Satan’s evil powers and the angels attended to him after 40 days. Then his ministry ultimately began as word spread about him and the miracles he was performing. (Matt 4)

Jesus ascends into Heaven-After staying on earth for 40 days after his resurrection Jesus ascending into Heaven and left the power of his Holy Spirit with us (Acts 1)

So what does this mean for me as I stand on the cusp of moving from being a single woman to a married woman? I know for one that it does not me the end, game over, the solution to my problems or the completion to who I am as a person. Excuse me, while I stand on my soapbox for a bit to I unpack this thought.

Too often in the South without directly saying it, females are taught that marriage is the ultimate goal. That finding the “one” is what will make you whole. That being married and having a family is the answer to any internal issues, problems, pain or suffering.

While I think marriage and family are hugely important, I don’t think they are necessary for living the full life God wants for us. I think too many young women make the mistake in thinking they can’t have the full experience unless they have a man in their life.

I know from personal experience that at one time I am sure my thought process was similar. However, I have learned so much as a single woman. God has shown me so many amazing things and a lot of these lessons never even had a man in the story line (no offense fellas). So I want to take these remaining 40 days to prepare my heart for the next season, the new phase, the amazing things he has in store for me after I say “I do.”

I want to accept in these 40 days that marriage is not an end to any current internal problem. I want to accept that whatever issues or sin I deal with now will be carried over to deal with and work through in marriage and more importantly I want to keep learning and growing as a woman of God!

These 40 days, join me in praying that I will become a better person independently. Pray that I will also become a better person for Blake. I want to embrace the beginning and not the end of what’s in store for after the 40 days.

God could show me or you some awesome things in 40 days. He could show us a rainbow, new lessons, kill giants in our life, allow our ministries to begin and teach us how to embrace his Sprit. Let the countdown begin…

Revelation 19:7: Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Pray with me as His bride "makes herself ready!"