"It's Wednesday"

What comes to your mind when you hear the word fasting? I’m almost certain there are all kinds of thoughts and feelings going through your mind right now.

Today is Ash Wednesday. You might not have thought about it, because we are not accustomed to observing it. What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It’s a holy day common in Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, as well as in many mainline congregations rooted in liturgical worship. During Lent (the 40 days prior to Easter, excluding Sunday's) many follow the practice of giving up something and taking the time to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for us. For many people it commemorates Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness. They “give up something” for Lent every year, like sweets or TV.

Even though we don’t observe the liturgical ritual of Ash Wednesday, the Bible does address fasting, and I think that you would agree with me that the biblical practice of fasting is neglected by most Christians today.

May I share with you a story I recently read on the power of fasting.

Sandy Shepherd decided to fast when her husband Rick came down with a chronic illness. Sandy said, “I wondered how, with two school-age children and a toddler at home, I could fast without complicating life for the rest of my family. I resolved to fast one day a week, skipping breakfast and lunch and eating dinner as usual.”

The next Tuesday night Sandy joined her family for dinner, but avoided evening snacks and skipped breakfast and lunch the next day. “In mid-afternoon my thoughts turned to fixing the family’s dinner. The hours between 2 and 6 proved the most difficult. Ordinary meatloaf had never smelled so tempting.”

As the weeks passed, Sandy embarked on a more thorough study of the Bible’s teaching about fasting. She found in the book of Joel a verse that deeply impressed here. “I knew God heard my prayer even before I began fasting. But practicing self-denial added a new dimension to my spiritual life, and I gained a deeper understanding of God’s instruction in Joel 2:12, ‘Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.’ The discomfort of hunger reminded me to fix my eyes on God. Andrew Murray wrote in With Christ in the School of Prayer, ‘Prayer needs fasting for its full growth… Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible; fasting, the other, with which we let loose and cast away the visible.’ Giving up eating, which I truly enjoyed, made me more aware of my weakness in contrast to God’s strength.”

Rick’s condition worsened for several months then began to improve. In the meantime, Sandy learned that fasting and praying for the physical healing of another is a sure method of growing stronger in one’s own heart.

The reason I shared this story with you is because, beginning tonight, we’re going to began a miniseries entitled, “The Believer and Biblical Fasting.”

Fasting is not an end in itself; it is a means by which we can worship the Lord and submit ourselves in humility to Him. Fasting is simply a tool that may be used to glorify God and realize answers to prayer. You can get the same results without fasting if your heart is perfectly prepared. If not, and you are physically able, a fast may be God’s answer.

Join me this evening as we embark upon this exciting spiritual journey.

It’s a joy to serve you!