“When you fast,” Jesus said, not “if you fast”. I don't know what your experience with fasting has been, but I know that it's not something about which I'm going to be telling you my exciting stories! In fact, I've been in churches throughout my Christian life where there have been seasons where fasting is encouraged for a specific purpose for the church, and I must admit that although at times, I have tried to follow the suggestions, mostly it's just been way too hard, and I have given up. It never seemed to make too much sense to me. Are we going without food to somehow change God’s mind about something?
So, when I realized that in this series that Dom and I are working on the next topic was going to be fasting, I felt very challenged. And of course, our Father, who has a great sense of humor, has me in another study that I'm doing with a friend; we're looking at spiritual practices as introduced to Bridgetown Church here in Portland, and we're just starting a new topic, and of course the topic is fasting! So, here I am, fasting on either side of me and wondering what the invitation is… Do I have a closed door to this practice, or am I willing to open to?
I wonder what your story is. Have you fasted and found joy in it? Have you tried to fast and wondered what it was all for? Have you fasted for something specific to happen and been disappointed when it didn’t come to pass? Have you maybe never even thought about fasting? My invitation to you is to be open to hear what God’s invitation for you is. He has something special for you as you ponder these words. Open your heart to Him.
As I began this journey committed to these two challenges to fasting (both with my friend and with writing this blog) I found everything in me was balking which tells you clearly how much food means to me. I told myself that my excitement should be rising, because this is a whole new adventure that God has so cleverly invited me into. This is all made more complex by the fact that during the next 12 days before I post, I only have five days at home-- four days in Austin with my family and three days with friends in Pendleton. That's a lot of eating out and fitting in with others. One of the things that Tyler Staton of Bridgetown Church shared in relation to food was about attachments to a particular way of eating and drinking; I recognize how true this is for me. He asked if one could sit down and eat outside of one’s preferences for the sake of love? I recognize after being with my family how many attachments I have, both to what and when I eat. So, there's an invitation right there for me. Tyler asks if the way a person relates to food is a pathway to perfection, to indulgence, to comfort, or to love? How is it for you?
So, let’s look deeper at fasting. Jesus never commanded that his disciples fasted, yet he spoke here in his sermon on the mount about “when you fast…” Interestingly, neither the Old Testament nor the New has a lot to say about fasting. But obviously it was part of the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day. (See Matthew 9:14-15) Did you know that in the early church they fasted two days every week? And that during the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter, they made a practice of fasting daily breaking with an evening meal each day, like the Muslims do during Ramadan. So obviously our church today has moved a long way from the early church practices.
So, you may be wondering does fasting matter, and if so, why?
Let’s look first at Jesus’ words:
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
I want to share with you a story. Of course, as I do, my “fasting” is no longer in secret, but I want to talk about the reward… so here goes!
Of course, the amazing thing when you walk with God is that there's a gift in everything. Even though I was feeling somewhat overwhelmed as I began this journey, I was already sensing God’s invitation and His presence. God is so faithful. While writing my previous post on giving, God challenged me through a request from a missionary organization who work in the Middle East. I had written about our giving not being sacrificial: now I felt the Spirit challenging me to give with a cost—giving up my daily habit of drinking a bottle of Sparkling Ice. This may sound nothing to
you, but for me it really is an addiction, and I saw it as a way of fasting—no more pop—only water. As I drink my water, I think of my suffering children in the Middle East. Of course, my water is from our well, filtered in the refrigerator, and delivered ice cold to the insulated cup my daughter had just given me for my birthday—it is actually delicious! And I am aware that my children in the Middle East may not have access to clean delicious water. But built into this for me is my Father’s response; that sense of His pleasure that defies describing; this generous God who celebrates with me this small victory and invites me into greater things. The reward is not something tangible; I am not fasting to get something from God, but in response to His invitation to focus on something outside my small world.
Fasting is thus a response to what God is calling us to focus on, reminding us of our fragility and our dependence on Him. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” As I fast, I am reminded of how dependent I am on Him for the grace to do what He is asking of me.
What I am learning is that the purpose of fasting is threefold: directing my attention from lesser desires to connect with deeper desires; freeing me from attachments to food and other things; and teaching me compassion with those who are suffering.
Wow! That is a mouthful. These ideas came from Tyler’s teaching on fasting; if you want the full teaching, you can find it on Bridgetown Church’s website.
Paul says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1)
Are you tracking with me? Are you beginning to see the value of fasting? I do hope so.
Fasting is thus not so much a giving up as a changing focus. Rather than, “I’m hungry!” “I’m hangry!” “When can I next eat?”, my focus is changing to allowing the hunger pangs to remind me of the Father’s love and His desire to open my eyes to new ways of seeing and to understand other priorities—whether in prayer or in giving my attention to someone or something else. Will I swing open this door and find mew vistas beyond? Can I take this time to reach out to a friend in need? Can I sit with God and allow Him to show me what He is inviting me into? Can I explore and rejoice in the freedom that comes from not focusing on eating?
And it may be that what the LORD will ask you to fast from is not food, but something else—Facebook, the news on TV, movies, puzzles… What are you addicted to? Ouch!!!
Add to this the thoughts expressed by the prophet Zachariah speaking God’s words:
“When you fasted, was it really for Me?”
And the prophet Isaiah further explores this idea in the fifty-eighth chapter of his book:
“ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?’ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your
workers. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yolk, to set the oppressed free… to share your food with the hungry…”
I invite you to read the whole chapter—it is eye-opening and may change the way you think about fasting and God’s purpose expressed by our fasting.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
How much do I want this Kingdom? How much do you? What is the invitation of God to you today as you consider fasting as a spiritual practice? Whatever you choose to do, I know you will not be disappointed.
Remember Jesus’ admonition as He began these instructions about giving, prayer and fasting: “Be careful…” My suggestion is to ask Him how He wants you to respond to this practice. Don’t just jump in. Find the place He has for you currently. Walk gently with Him and find joy in the journey.
I would love to hear what you discover.
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