The Cracked Acorn: Fasting

My doctor said I needed blood work when I had a recent medical check. The nurse then asked me if I had fasted, and I answered that I had not. An appointment was made for another early morning for my blood work.

If you have not fasted, you don’t know that breakfast or lunch is light-years away once the sun rises. I cannot imagine that you could go. without food for 40 days and nights like our Christ (Matt.4:2) or Moses (Ex.34:28) and Elijah (I Kin. 19:8). In our society, food is relatively inexpensive and available. We do not have to worry about starvation. I am told there has not been such a death in the USA for years.

A friend of ours thinks that “fasting” is the thing for her. She does this from time to time and just has her black coffee. This could be for physical or spiritual reasons, which I do not know but place in the personal category.

“Many Gnostics taught that one way to control one’s evil physical self was to starve the body, denying it the food or rest required. Similarly, those with eating disorders assume that we can separate our “self” from our “body” and, by controlling the body, gain control of our inner self.

Medical research suggests that many eating disorders are rooted in a feeling that life is out of control and reflect a desperate effort to gain mastery of oneself. The problem is, Paul tells us, such efforts are “of no value against the indulgence of the flesh”(v.23) We can’t control our inner self by punishing our bodies. Instead, we should seek to please Jesus in what we think, feel, and eat. The desire to please Jesus, rather than our desperate efforts to gain control, will ultimately bring us inner and outer peace.” (comments on Colossians 2:16-23 – THE TEEN BIBLE New King James Version)

If you want to fast today, it would be a voluntary matter. It is not binding on Christians; if done, it should be with the correct attitude and out of love for the Lord. In Luke 18:12, the Pharisee bragged that he fasted and gave much of his money to the temple, but the Lord heard the prayer of the humble publican. The Psalmist in 35:13 said, “I humbled my soul with fasting.” The great people of the Old Testament and some in the early church of the New Testament era followed the practice of fasting, especially in times of sorrow and repentance.

Reflect on these points: God may honor fasting when done deeply and sincerely; some fasting may have physical benefit; the arena of the mind may be expanded during fasting; a better grip on self-discipline may be achieved; and last, we may gain an appreciation of our many blessings through Jesus Christ. (edited remarks for space from the CHRISTIAN COURIER).

I believe these same benefits can be gained easily by finding a quiet place (it may be your closet) and letting your mind reflect on the greatest book ever written, the Bible.

This is so important in our rush ‘n’ go society. We must take time to bring it all together, or we will be like the huge dead tree in our neighborhood. When hurricane Isabel came through, this tree was not well rooted, and although it did its best, it is now a hindrance. If you think that fasting is the way, I am behind you and pray that you are strengthened because you have done it for the correct reason and wish to love the Lord even more than you do at this moment.