Reflections on Turning 39 Years Old

I like numbers. When I was in school, math was a subject I enjoyed. I'm not sure why, but I especially like the numbers 2, 4, and 9. 

I was born in the year of 1982, and I've always liked my birth year because it ends with the number 2. (1982) I was born in October of 1982. This year, I turned 39 years old. 

An October sunrise early one morning from our home. 

About a week or so before my birthday, I began thinking about the number 39. Does that number have any significance in the Bible, I wondered? 

I thought of an elderly, Christian woman (in her 80's) I know who lives in my area and likes to call me frequently to see how I'm doing. This woman likes to pray for others. I thought of something she has shared with me many times.

"Jesus walked up Calvary's hill after taking 39 stripes for us!" 

She has mentioned this to me numerous times in regards to Jesus dying for us and especially in regards to our healing as mentioned in Isaiah chapter 53.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 

Where did she get the idea that Jesus took 39 stripes for us, I wondered? The Bible does not mention how many times Jesus was struck when He was scourged. I looked in Scripture. 

It is true that, in Jewish practice, when they punished a criminal, they would not give that person more than 40 lashes or stripes because of God's command in Deuteronomy 25:3: 

"Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed..." 

To avoid breaking God's law, the Jews would only give a criminal 39 stripes. That is likely where this elderly lady got that idea from. However, the Jews were not the ones who whipped Jesus. The Romans did. Did the Romans honor God's law? I highly doubt it. However, knowing that Jesus was a Jew, they could have honored the Jews practice in that.

In any case, I do not know for sure. If it's true that the Lord Jesus received 39 stripes for us, I decided that this would be a special year to remember just how much Jesus loves me! He suffered and died for me. 

Obviously, I don't have to turn 39 years old to remember that beloved truth. But 39 could be a reminder of Christ's love in suffering for us if He did take 39 stripes for us as this elderly lady says He did.

                                      ~

My mind also drifted to my favorite Bible character - Joseph. Did anything significant happen in Joseph's life when he was 39 years old, I wondered? Indeed, something did! 

Most people who know the stories in the Bible are familiar with the story of Joseph. He had some dreams (which he probably would've done well to keep to himself and not share with his brothers). His father gave him a special coat of many colors, a coat that signified that he was the birthright inheritor. His brothers threw him in a pit, then sold him to people traveling down to Egypt when he was 17. Joseph's age is something the Bible clearly spells out. Most people know that Joseph was 17 years old when all of those events occurred in his life.     

 

However, the Bible also mentions Joseph's age on two other occasions. Scripture says that Joseph was 30 years old when he was brought before Pharaoh after serving in Potiphar's house and being in prison. (age 17 to age 30 = a total of 13 years!) Scripture also says that Joseph died at the age of 110.  

Joseph's age can be inferred on other occasions though by doing some basic math, even though the Bible does not directly say his age at certain times in his life.

Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh and interrupted his dreams. The Bible says that. (Genesis 41:46) That was the beginning of the 7 years of plenty. Add 7 years and that gives us Joseph's ages during those years of plenty. (age 30-37) Very easy, basic math. This means that, Joseph was 37 years old when the 7 years of famine began. Add 7 years to that, and we get Joseph's ages during those 7 years of famine. (age 37-44)

Those who know the story of Joseph in the Bible know the incredible ending. His brothers went down to buy corn/ grain in Egypt not realizing they were bowing down to their brother Joseph. Later, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers. 

To quote Joseph speaking to his brothers, the Bible says in Genesis 45:6:

"For these two years hath the famine been in the land..." 

Joseph's brothers went down to Egypt two years into the famine, which means that Joseph would have been 39 years old when he revealed his identity to them. (age 37 + 2 years into the famine = 39 years old)

I get teary eyed when I read the entire story from the Bible. It's a story of incredible love and forgiveness on Joseph's part. It's a story of God working even when they could not see the full story. I continue to pull inspiration from Joseph's life from the Bible. I could easily write many (short) inspirational blog posts from Joseph's life! He was such a Godly man! 

Joseph was 39 years old when his brothers bowed down to him. Joseph was 17 years old when he had dreams of this happening. His dreams were from God because they really happened, but it took 22 years (age 17- age 39 = 22 years!) before Joseph saw those dreams become an actual reality in his life. That is a long time. 

Sometimes, God may place a dream or a desire in our heart or mind, but many years may go by before we see the reality of that dream come to pass - like Joseph did at 39 years old.

That encourages me. That inspires me.  

When the time was right, God brought Joseph's dream to pass. 

God’s love for us and Joseph's unwavering faith, both in regard to the number 39, were on my mind the days before my birthday. 

                                        ~

The week before my birthday, I was house sitting for someone in our area who owns several cats. I've stayed there before to watch their cat so it was not unfamiliar to me. I was there for several days and nights. When I came home on the Tuesday before my birthday, my parents informed me that one of my brothers was very sick in bed with a fever of 103, and he was coughing! 

Uh, oh. That concerned me. It sounded like he had classic symptoms of Covid to me. Even though he was basically quarantined to his room, I frantically cleaned our upstairs bathroom in an attempt to clean anything he may have touched. Sadly, my attempts only bought me a couple of days. 

My entire family came down with Covid. (yes, I tested positive at our hospital on day #10 of me being sick with it!) Everyone except my Dad. I'm so thankful my Dad never got it!

I woke up on the morning of my birthday, Sunday, October 17th, feeling extremely sick with one of the worst headaches I've ever had, along with a fever, chills, and body aches. It didn't feel at all like my birthday, although it was. It's a birthday I won't forget. Needless to say, I was in bed all day and didn't do anything special. 

I had Covid for an entire 2 weeks or 14 days. I've never been so sick before in my life. But, bless the Lord, we have recovered! God is our Healer.

~

Because I was so sick on my birthday, I celebrated it this past Sunday, November 7th, instead. Since my birthday was on a Sunday this year (I was also born on a Sunday morning), I decided to celebrate it on a Sunday. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful day this past Sunday, with temperatures in the high 70's, clear blue skies, and bright, vibrant colors left on some of the trees around here.

I did what I'd planned to do on my real birthday, but instead, it was three weeks later.

My sister Leah was home last weekend for a visit. (she’s a flight attendant based in Washington D.C.) She gave me a delicious apple cider donut that she'd brought home all the way from Virginia where she lives. Supposedly, these donuts were declared the best in the entire state of Virginia she said. It was delicious!  

I went to a local coffee shop and got some hot, apple cider to drink that morning. 

I liked the hearts on the back of the chairs.

I wish I could've enjoyed my hot, apple cider with someone there. Instead, I took my hot drink and enjoyed it by our nearby river. 

Hot, apple cider at the river.

The views there were so beautiful that day. The river was so peaceful. That was my gift from the Lord. 

Sitting under the bridge.

I brought my Bible with me and read by the river's edge.  

Psalm 105 is one that I've been reading a lot lately. God's promises and covenants are eternal. God works miracles for His people. 

I went for a little stroll and enjoyed more lovely views of the river.

Sitting under a canopy of trees.

I sat on a log and sang the hymn: "For the Beauty of the Earth". God was my audience.

We had two roses in bloom on one of our rose bushes! 

Roses in November?! 

Those roses ended up on my dresser.

My mom took me out for an
annual birthday lunch that afternoon. 

Later that afternoon, I went for a walk at a nearby park -
a birthday tradition of mine. 

"Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."
Psalm 90:2 

I chose to have soup and bread again for supper this year.
I was going to make a homemade pot of "Autumn Squash" soup, but after having Covid, it was much easier to pick this up at the store instead. 

Paired with oven ready garlic toast! 

I chose to have carrot cake (my favorite) for dessert. 
Compliments of our local Safeway for only $6.99.

My parents gave me this book as a birthday gift. 

This book was a "dropped hint" to them of something I'd enjoy. I'm really looking forward to reading it! 

And that is a glimpse into my birthday this year. Nothing spectacular. Very simple, but special. Every day is a gift from God. Days add up into years. The years of our lives are milestones and markers. God blessed me in some very special ways last year. 

I look forward, with anticipation, to what God has planned for my life in the coming year. My heart echoes with the Psalmist when he wrote: 

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

Psalm 90:12