West Craven Baptist Fellowship

As a big film watcher, I've been interested over recent years to see an increased fascination with numerological conspiracy films - you won't find that as an official genre on the shelves of your local video store, I made it up! These are the films that have some code or magical number significance that once worked out will reveal some kind of conspiracy or supernatural existence. Perhaps the film industry is being slowly taken over by a bunch of sci-fi maths experts? Most recently I watched a film called "The Number 23" which told the story of a man who became obsessed with the number 23, believing that it held the clue to all manner of spiritual truths. Then there was the Nick Cage film, "Knowing". In this the lead character discovered a list of numbers which when analysed would reveal the dates of humanitarian disasters... 

So we have an obsession with numbers? What about the number 40? This has historical significance, especially if you look back to the Old Testament; 40 days of rain before the flood that Noah and his family survived, 40 days that Moses spent on Mt Sinai in the presence of God, 40 years that Israel spent wandering the wilderness after leaving Egypt, 40 days that Jonah allowed Nineveh to change their ways and 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the devil before he began his ministry.

The period of 40 (be it days or years) is associated with a time of waiting and preparing, which is why at this time of year Christians spend 40 days of Lent waiting and preparing themselves for Easter. It's a time when many will reflect on the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness and will respond to that by making personal sacrifices and trying to live a more humble lifestyle - traditionally, fasting was big parts of this, but nowadays it's more often a time for relinquishing a few of life's luxuries or temptations! This time begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Easter Weekend. The mathematical types among you will quickly realise that it adds up to more than 40 days!!! Sunday's aren't included because they are a day for celebrating resurrection rather than enduring hardship and sacrifice.

So at this time of Lent, forget numerological conspiracy theories and the pessimistic doom that they so often bring. Instead, whilst acknowledging the many struggles and hardships in life, look towards Easter when through the resurrection of Christ the time of waiting and of struggle is over. New Life beckons for all who will receive it. 

Peace

Matt