Fasting...

From time to time, I choose to fast. And people often wonder why anyone would choose to go without food.

There are volumes written about what fasting is and what it does. Foster's the Celebration of Discipline is probably the most concise yet thorough work I have seen on it. I think that whole books labor the point, and short articles don't do it justice. So, in the spirit of not doing it justice, I have some thoughts on fasting that I would like to share.

First, religious practice is often misunderstood. We often try to leverage some religious practice to "obligate the gods" to something. So it is with prayer, singing, church attendance, and many other religious practices today. Fasting often falls into this category and so we fast to get what we want just like the prophets of Ba'al cutting themselves on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). And we get frustrated when it doesn't work. Here is the point: Religious practice is not a matter of obligating God to something. If that is our posture, it will fail. And we, like the Catholic church accepting indulgences during the Middle Ages face 2 horrible consequences:

First, it puts the church in the position of mediator between God and man. Our depending on religious practice to get to God allows the church to decide how we live out our relationship with God. Which is fine as long as the church is truly seeking the face of Jesus. But again,I would point to the Catholic church of the middle ages to prove that when any man run institution is given that kind of power in people's lives, it gets corrupted.

Second, We place God in a box that He has no obligation to uphold. And consequently, we paint a picture of God that is not true and leads people only to disappointment. And many people walk away from God, not because He is false, but because they were given or painted for themselves a picture of God that is simply not accurate. And no one stepped in to help bring understanding and hope.

The second major point I would like to make is that I believe that the point of all the disciplines is for me to conform my attitude, thoughts, and actions to His. Whether this practice is as "commonly talked about" as prayer and Bible reading, or it is as complex and avoided as simplicity, fasting, memorization, or solitude; each of these practices serve the purpose, not of obligating God, but more of bringing my life (body, mind and soul) in line with God's agenda - which is always right.

The last major point that I would make is that we all know the connection between food and our well being. We eat a big starchy lunch and struggle to stay awake for the rest of the afternoon. We eat really poorly for a few days and become lethargic and grouchy. We know that beyond what we think we look like, there is an emotional component to food. That is why many of us struggle to be emotional eaters, stress eaters, or why we crave certain foods in certain situations. The same effect is true with our spiritual well being.

Leviticus 10:8-10 (New International Version, ©2010)

8 Then the LORD said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, 10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,

Deuteronomy 29:5-6 (New International Version, ©2010)

5 Yet the LORD says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.”

I am not arguing the ethics of alcohol consumption. I absolutely believe that in moderation, the world is ours. What I am arguing is that food and drink has an affect on us. Even in the Deuteronomy passage, they ate no bread, and drank no wine so that they would know that He is God. Think about it for a second, what are 2 of the most addictive food products? Carbs and Alcohol? Maybe there is something to this... maybe much more than we realize.

So, back to fasting... in my opinion, fasting is about me clearing my body of impurities that fog my mind and my spirit from seeing God - so that I can be aware of what He is doing. it does not obligate God to speak, nor does it obligate God to do what I want Him to do. But I also do not believe that God is trying to be illusive or hard to get to. We just have to do the right things in order to put ourselves in a position to see and to hear. So in fasting, I put myself in a position to hear, I am not forcing God into a position to speak. But then again, He has been speaking all along. if John 5 is true (and I believe it is), and God is always at His work, then my focus should be finding out what that work looks like so that I can join Him.

So with that in mind, I come to my conclusion. Fasting is a lost art and should be a common practice in our lives. It helps with our awareness of God and His work as well as helping with our overall well being and feeling better. More than that, it develops discipline and self control in us and that attribute shows up in all areas of our lives.

For me, things have seemed a little off lately. Nothing specific is wrong, but some unresolved, lingering issue hanging out there that I need some clarity on. I need to know God's perspective on these things. So, with that in mind, I think that I will spend some time fasting.

So may you seek the Lord's face with all that you are - mind, body, and soul. May you be fully awake to God's direction in your life. And may you be willing to lay all things down for His sake and in pursuit of God's wisdom and direction for your life. It is more than you could ever think or imagine! Ephesians 3:20-21