40 Days of Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance:
Meeting the Threat of the Coronavirus

Wed, Mar 18 -  Sun, Apr 26, 2020

Join fellow Christians across America in a 40-day initiative of prayer, fasting and repentance. Participants will follow the example of men and women of Scripture who humbled themselves and sought the Lord through fasting. Our country needs the spiritual renewal that only God can bring. May He hear our cry and answer! The potential health and economic impact of the coronavirus is not fully known yet, but could be devastating. We desire that God has mercy.

In times of crises, God desires that His people examine themselves and repent of everything displeasing to Him. We are to repent on behalf of ourselves and American Christianity which is largely self-indulgent and does not seek the Lord in holiness or wholehearted devotion. First-century Christians prayed and read the Scriptures every morning and evening, and fasted twice a week. Meanwhile, American Christians spend little energy seeking God and the church is therefore largely powerless. Most Christians don’t give at least ten percent of their income even though we are the richest country in the history of the world, and we pollute ourselves through movies and our own engagement with sexual immorality. 

Starting Wednesday, March 18, 2020, participants will seek God through the Biblical practice of fasting, prayer and repentance. You may choose to fast from all foods for the entire 40 days—drinking only liquids—or you may choose to fast by eating only one or two meals each day. For some, health limitations will require a different type of fast (see fasting resources). However God leads you, we desire to have you be a part, and God will reward you.

Please sign up below to participate. As a participant, you will receive a special devotional by email each morning of the fast offering encouragement as you devote yourself to the Lord in humility and repentance.

May God draw near and bring healing, comfort, and protection to our nation as we seek Him through prayer, fasting and repentance.

Join the Fast

Teach Us to Number Our Days

Monday, March 30, 2020
Devotional for Day 13

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
- Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

Reflecting back to January 2020, I don’t recall anyone’s “Word for the Year” being “quarantine,” “pandemic,” or something similar. I saw most blogs, Facebook posts, and tweets claim goals and themes revolving around the notions of happiness, self-care, growth, and transformation. And yet, within a matter of weeks, here we are, experiencing a global hardship that very few saw coming. What words will our current culture cling to for hope and inspiration now?

If you’re familiar with the Old Testament, you’ve probably read the journey of the Israelites being brought out from the slavery of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Because of their lack of obedience and faith in God, their quest was much longer than they anticipated with more trials than they imagined. In a rare psalm written by Moses, he gives his fellow Israelites a reality check as he laments to God. He reminds them in the midst of difficult circumstances who God is, how powerless we really are, how quickly life goes by, the weightiness of God’s anger, and the hope that is found only in Him. After Moses reminds the audience of these truths, he transitions into an ask. He pleads with the Lord to “...teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” In many Bible translations, the titled authorship of Psalm 90 acknowledges him as “The Man of God.” Moses had a direct, personal relationship with God. It’s interesting to note that with this type of access, he does not petition God to change their circumstances in the wilderness or meet a physical need. He asks for something much different; much greater. He asks for help to live in light of eternity.

Think about the life of Moses. From the way he was born, to sins he committed, fears he had to overcome, suffering he endured, direct communion with God - all these things impacted his understanding of life and how fleeting it is. There is something about hardship and suffering that forces our eyes to look up. Moses asked God to help the Israelites recognize their days are numbered, this life is not all there is, and the only way to steward the remainder of their time on earth well is through a heart of wisdom. Proverbs chapter 1 tells us that wisdom is directly linked with the fear of the Lord. Moses is asking God to help them live their lives with a pursuit of holiness, godliness, and purpose because they will one day give an account of their lives.

How does Psalm 90:12 apply to us today? I would say in the same way it did when first written. Every day we have an enemy who works to keep our minds on the things of the earth and lose sight of the things above. As years progress, it seems as though his job is becoming easier, with the enticing distractions and false experiences of security found in technology, money, sex, food, material possessions, alcohol, work, relationships, etc. All throughout biblical text and especially in this psalm, our focus is brought back to the brevity of life, the urgency of sharing the Gospel, the judgment to come, and the beauty of the free gift of salvation.

If you call yourself a Christian today, do you feel the weight of your life? Every thought, every word, every deed will give an account to what you truly believe. If you are a Christian, you house the Hope that the world longs to have, but searches for among the dust of the earth. If you really believe the Bible is true and the Gospel is the answer, then how could you not respond with your one, significant, fleeting life shouting to all who will listen: “God is real, judgement is coming, and very soon every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”

Lord, I thank You for the gift of another day that we can too easily take for granted. I thank You for all the small miracles that You do for us throughout these 24 hours. Help us have an eternal perspective, keeping our minds on the things above. Lord, grow in us a reverent fear and awe of You. Help us place You on Your rightful throne over our lives. Enable us to bring glory to You through our every word and deed. God, I ask that when our friends, family, and neighbors reflect back on our lives, they won’t remember us as being“nice” or “kind,” but they will remember the love of God they experienced and the sweetness of Your Spirit that touched their lives. In the strong, holy, and precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Ashlyn Gibbs
Ministry Fellow, Christian Union Nova

4,707 People Fasting

Join with the believers who have committed themselves to fasting for 40 days.

Why Fast?

Fasting was practiced in the Old Testament, New Testament and in church history to engender humility and entreat God for Him to move in extraordinary ways. We need God in the U.S. now more than ever.

Moses fasted 40 days, Nehemiah fasted 120 days, and large numbers of Jews in Esther's time fasted for 70 days in their time of need.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says that when we humble ourselves and confess our sins, God intervenes in history to heal our land. In Psalm 35:13 King David humbled himself through fasting and many others in the Scriptures have done the same to gain favor from God. Moses fasted 40 days, Nehemiah fasted 120 days, and large numbers of Jews in Esther’s time fasted for 70 days in their time of need. Jesus fasted 40 days, Christians in the book of Acts fasted regularly, and believers for 2000 years have sought God through fasting, prayer, and repentance. Thousands of American Christians humbling themselves through an extended fast will be very meaningful to God and will help move Him, according to His Word, to bring change to the U.S.

How to Fast

This initiative of prayer, fasting, and repentance lasts for 40 days, beginning Wednesday, March 18 through Sunday night, April 26, 2020. As a signed-up participant, you will receive an email each morning, featuring a devotional to encourage and motivate you as you fast.

You may choose to fast from foods for the entire 40 days—drinking only liquids—or you may choose to fast by eating only one or two meals each day. However God leads you, we are glad you are a part.

Don't be afraid to take on this biblical challenge to draw closer to God and see Him exalt you as you humble yourself through fasting.

If you don’t have a lot of experience fasting, this may be a challenging endeavor. Christians throughout the centuries have sought God through fasting and have found Him in wonderful ways as a result. Don’t be afraid to take on this biblical challenge to draw closer to God and see Him exalt those who humble themselves through fasting.

Fasting Resources

American Christians are often unfamiliar with the practice even though fasting was common for Christians through the centuries and is regularly done in the international Church. For more information check out this FAQ for Fasting and this curated list of resources.

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God's Next Move in America

America’s Christian heritage is among the greatest of all the nations in the world. God’s Kingdom has thrived here through the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s, largely due to nationwide moves of God’s Spirit. We need another history-making move of God. By His sovereign grace, God ensures that we play a part in Heaven’s work. He draws near to us when we draw near to Him (James 4:8). We must ask, seek, and knock for an outpouring of His Spirit (Luke 11:5-13).

“Whenever God is about to do something truly great,
He first sets His people praying!” Matthew Henry, 1662-1714