East Indians UAE (Mobaikar)

Lenten Prayer: A complete handy reference

Genesis 7:12 | The Great Flood
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. forty days and forty nights…

Genesis 50:3 | Joseph ordered his physicians to embalm Isaac and it took that time
[The physicians took] a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming [Isaac].

Exodus 34:28 | Moses before God writing the 10 Commandments
Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.

Numbers 13:25 | The time the spies took to investigate Canaan. (Eventually they were punished with one extra year in the wilderness for each day they visited Numbers 14:34)
At the end of forty days they [the spies] returned from exploring the land.

Deuteronomy 9:25 | Moses interceding for the Israelites when they sinned
I lay prostrate before the LORD those forty days and forty nights because the LORD had said he would destroy you.

1 Samuel 17:16 | Goliath taunting the people of Israel during this time
For forty days the Philistine [Goliath] came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

1 Kings 19:8 | Elijah being taken care of God during this period
So he [Elijah] got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God .

Ezekiel 4:6 | Prophet text
“After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.

Jonah 3:4 | Time given to the people of Nineveh to repent
On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.”

Luke 4:2 | Jesus tempted in the wilderness (also reported in Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13)
…for forty days he [Jesus] was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

Acts 1:3 | Time between resurrection and ascension
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

Note: Before fasting, you should check with your Doctor.  Some persons should not fast: those who are sick, pregnant women, those with certain conditions like Diabetes, etc.  Persons in these situations can substitute by giving up something else.  For instance, on a "fast" day, you could give up an hour of television (or all television for that day); replacing it with extra Bible Reading and Prayer or the reading of a Christian book (or listening on CD or Cassette).

When fasting, always remember to drink plenty of water.  Drinking too little water can harm your kidneys.