40

Hello fellow travellers, how's your journey?

The first picture is from the Irish band, U2's WAR album. U2...was a band that sang of political, social, spiritual issues. In their early days three of the band members were in a Bible Study...that is reflected in their albums with Biblical references. As a matter of fact...Bono almost left the band for his faith. Depending on who you are... these guys are either druknen Irishmen...or Saints.


U2 used to close out their concerts in the early days with a song off of their 3rd album...which was WAR. The song was 40...based on Psalm 40. I was reading this morning how at the end of the concert they would walk off the stage...one by one... leaving the audience still singing..."How long to sing this song." The "this song" that they were talking about wa the one found mentioned by King David in Psalm 40...
"And He put a NEW SONG in my mouth...a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear...and will trust in the Lord." Other songs that have a Biblical thread includes songs like I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR...and WITH OR WITHOUT YOU....or WHEN LOVE CAME TO TOWN (duet with B.B. King)...and especially on their VERTIGO project.

Of course 40 is a number that comes up throughout Scripture often. In Genesis we see the Noah Connection with 40 as there was rains and floods for 40 days and 40 nights. When Isaac was 40 years old he took Rebekah as his wife. The children of Israel were provided for...for 40 years in the middle of a 40 day Interstate Journey (that should have taken 12 days...and that was the long route)...from BONDAGE to PROMISE LAND. They were getting there kicks on Route 40.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting...by the devil. It goes on and on with the 40 Connection.

The lubricant WD-40 is designed to take care of multiple needs around the house or workplace. Some of the qualities of WD-40 includes: (1) Stops squeaks
(2) Cleans and Protects
(3) Loosens rusted parts
(4) Frees Sticky Mechanisms
(5) Dries our Moisture

Hmmm...that sounds like my spiritual life sometimes. I also like to apply another spiritual oil called 3-IN ONE. Why is it spiritual? It reflects the trinity...the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost...and these three are one.

On this upcoming LENT JOURNEY...there will be 40 DAYS of reflection...40 days of rumination...40 days of repentance (as God speaks), all culminating with restoration, repristiantion, and reconciliation. Many places will be located to apply the WD-40 and 3 IN ONE OIL to my spiritual life.

PSALM 40 is some good advice for the pilgrams on their journey....


"I...WAITED PATIENTLY...for the LORD." (Psalm 40:1)

This is a season to pull back...and not get ahead of the Lord like I usually do. He walks a different pace that I normally walk.

WAIT PATIENTLY: To bind together (perhaps by twisting), that is collect, to expect, wait for/on/upon.

"And He INCLINED to me..." (Psalm 40:1")

I am down...He comes down to my level.

INCLINED: To stretch or spread out, to bend away, extend, go down, outstreched.

"And He heard my cry." (Psalm 40:1)

I am crying out...he is hearing.

HEARD: To hear intelligibility, listen, perceive, regard, understand.

MY CRY: Hallooing= to be free, to halloo for help, freedom, from some trouble, cry, shout. NOTE: I wonder if this is part of Hallel...lu..jahing?

This is a song of deliverance...a song of provision...a song in the face of mockers who look at you in your trouble and say..."Aha, Aha". It is a Psalm...a NEW SONG...that many will see and fear and trust in the Lord. They seek your life to destroy it...and delight in your hurt...but God will help and deliver you...because He is mindful of you. (Read Psalm 40 for full details)

This season......get ready to come out the other side...with a song on your lips...and really a song that you have already been singing in the VALLEY on your journey. NOTE: Remember...if you are going through a valley of the shadow of death...or you're going through hell...DON'T STOP...keep on going until you come out the other side. There is a death...there is a burial. This is not pleasant...but we have been called to be mindful of His suffering...as we lay hold of his joy. There is a resurrection.

"Thys statutes are my songs, in the house of my PILGRIMAGE. O Lord, I remember Thy name IN THE NIGHT...and keep Thy law. This has become mine, that I observe Thy precepts." (Psalm 119:55-56)

"Restore our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South. Those who SOW IN TEARS...shall REAP WITH JOYFUL SHOUTING. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a SHOUT OF JOY, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126:4-6)

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on PILGRIMAGE (in whose hearts are the highways to Zion)...As they pass through they VALLEY OF TEARS/BACA...they make it A PLACE OF SPRINGS (they go from strength to strength)...the autumn rains also cover it with POOLS." (Psalm 84:5-7)

NOTE: For the next 40 days...I will be taking a sabbatical from writing the Ruminator Ramblings. I will be writing and reflecting. I will meet you on the other side of the journey on the glorious RESURRECTION SUNDAY. Jesus is Lord.

Love
Rodney