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Why would anyone fast? I didn't even think it was possible until I had to go for medical procedures of one kind or another.Twenty four hours without food. Couldn't I die from that? It can't be good for you.Can it?
Well maybe it could.We sure are use to having things right at hand when we want it, there's no consideration of where it came from, how much work went in to getting it here or how blessed we are to have it , so much of it,such a variety of it. Burgers Monday,Pasta Tuesday, Pizza Wednesday,Chicken Thursday,Fish Friday,etc,etc. That's not counting the salads, fruit , vegetables and sanwiches we woof back along the way!!
Maybe going a day without food now and then could have an eye opening effect on our "attitude of gratitude" and maybe we would enjoy our food more intensely when we did have it.I think it would give us a deeper feeling of thanks when we say grace before our meals.
Jews For Jesus has a great article in it's March 2009 newsletter on the topic of fasting.Let me share with you what I've learned from the newsletter.
The word fast,fasted or fasting appears 61 times in the Old and New Testaments.
Jews for Jesus gave eight Biblical purposes for fasting and stated that many of the
purposes were overlapping or multifaceted but that the list is by no means comprehensive. They also suggest that the core purpose for all biblical fasting is to "Seek God in Humility",referencing Ezra 8:21"Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava,that we might humble ourselves before God,to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions"
Other purposes included:
-Repent of sin: Jonah 3:5 "So the people of Ninevah believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth,from the greatest of them to the least of them"
-Petition God's mercy: Esther 4:16 "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast for me;neither eat nor drink for three days.Night or day.My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law;and if I perish I perish!"
-Release from oppression:Isaiah 58:6"Is this not the fast that I have chosen;To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?"
-Prepare for spiritual battle: Matthew 4:1,2:"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry"
-Engage in Intercessory Prayer: Daniel 9:3,16: "Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications,with fasting,sackcloth,and ashes...'O Lord according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain..."
-Prepare for a Decision or Action that Requires God's Guidance and Blessing: Acts 13:2,3 :As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them' Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away"
-Mourn for the Dead: 2 Samuel 1:12:" And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Isreal,because they had fallen by the sword"
Not mentioned in the list above is the purpose of self-dicipline, knowing you are in control of your body not the other way around,along with the realization of how much or how little we really need in contrast to how much we consume.With this realization comes the unavoidable truths that we do depend on God for our existence and that he has blessed us much more than abundantly.
Fasting may not be for everyone,but if ever there was a time to consider it,maybe the time is now.

Comments

Rox said…
Hey Thomas,fasting is something I've personally never considered. But as we were saying earlier on the phone...when we suffer a bit we appreciate more and are more thankful.

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