I love family gatherings. For me the cooking and preparation is part of the fun. I enjoy the anticipation of the time we will share together. But even more than that I delight in the moment when the family sits down to eat. It is truly with gusto that everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, digs into the food and enjoys the feast. Those meals have a balance of nutrition, fun, and family favorites. It takes intentionality to host such dynamic meals.
Fasting is often met with a very different attitude. Fasting, or voluntarily giving up food, screen time, or whatever one chooses to abstain from for a season is often met with resistance or hesitancy. Will I be able to not eat that long? What will tempt me or cause me to forget my intention of surrendering a loved pursuit to notice even more of God? What really is the intention of abstaining from something in a fast?
Today’s Scripture
The prophet Isaiah was speaking to the believing Jewish community in Isaiah 58:1-12. The folks were already steeped in the spiritual discipline of fasting. They had regular days for fasts. They practiced it routinely. And yet, the prophet challenged them to reflect upon the demeanor, the interior attitude, and intent of their fasts. Isaiah articulated the kind of fast God desires of God’s people. These God-shaped fasts open space within demeanor, self-will, and human desire so that even more of God’s presence can indwell the one fasting. This open-hearted fast can become catalyst for engaging others with even more Christlikeness as we intentionally choose to love others as Jesus’ loves.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today you are invited to plan for a period of fasting. Fasting may be as short as half a day, or possibly as long as 18 hours. First, ask God what would be the best object of your fast. Will you fast from food? Or perhaps it will be from a time of technology without any screen time. Maybe you will be led to abstain from all food, except drink or possibly it will only be a partial fast from food allowing yourself water and fruits. Whatever you choose to fast from for a certain duration of time consider these or similar steps as you proceed with your fasting plans.
- How will you begin your time of fast? Included in this is the question how will you offer your fasting time to God?
- What will you do intentionally to notice God’s presence during the fast?
- If you are fasting from food, how could the rumbling of your tummy when you get hungry become a call to prayer for you?
- Will others join you on this season of fasting? If so, how do you imagine that will or will not impact your own practice of fast?
- Consider, how God is nourishing you through this time of fast. How will you feast upon God during your time of fasting?
- When your time of fasting is drawing to a close, how will you end you fast? Please be intentional to include God in closing your fast.
- If you are fasting from food, you may choose to reenter eating with a light meal of soup or eggs rather than giving yourself a feast. The body needs time to acclimate to eating again.
Enjoy the gift of God’s focused time and devotion through fasting.
