Feasting or Fasting?

There is nothing that makes me appreciate eating food more than fasting.  Many years ago I began to periodically fast from food in obedience to God.  Jesus was approached by the Pharisees who asked why His disciples did not fast and pray like John the Baptist's followers.  Jesus answers in  Luke 5:34-35:  "And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? [35] But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days."  I am a friend of the Bridegroom (see John 15:13-15).  Jesus was taken into heaven forty days after He rose from the dead.  Interestingly, John the Baptist also refers to himself as a "friend of the bridegroom" in John 3:29:  "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled."  We are living in the days when we should fast.  How, when, and how often you fast is between you and God.

To put it bluntly, my flesh hates fasting.  When I am hungry, I am always in the mood for eating food.  So when I feel like I should fast I recognize this as being from God, because my stomach never feels like fasting.  I have only heard one pastor on one occasion strongly emphasize the need for fasting from the pulpit.  It was a message that God used to greatly deepen my reliance upon God and help me grow spiritually.  I don't remember much that was said except the application for me was I should fast.  When the subject of fasting comes up, people have a lot of questions.  I believe this is the case because few have studied it, and fewer make a practice of it!

During work the other day a thought came to my mind:  there are few who fast physically, but there are many who fast spiritually.  People think it admirable to miss three straight meals in obedience to God, but think nothing about missing weeks worth of spiritual nourishment found by reading and meditating on God's Word.  It feels like a big sacrifice to stay home when the rest of your family eats at a restaurant, but it is often seen as a relaxing break to miss morning devotions with regularity.  Something is wrong with this picture!  I was once convicted during a vacation from work because I also took a vacation from God's Word.  I was enjoying sleeping in but was not feeding myself on the Word of God.  Because of that choice I found myself spiritually asleep and easy prey for temptation.

Jeremiah 15:16 says, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts."  When the body fasts from food and/or drink, there are clear physical signs:  headache, joints ache, fatigue, dehydration, and other symptoms which vary person to person.  The spiritual symptoms from fasting from God's Word and communion with Him in prayer are also clear:  lack of focus, decreased discernment, spiritual drowsiness, confusion, and falling into sin.  If feeding on God's Word provides joy and rejoicing for our heart, the lack of feeding of His words will have the opposite effect!  And why did Jeremiah rejoice?  "For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of Hosts."  Jeremiah found his identity in God.  He drew close to God in fellowship, he was able know God through His Word, and discovered he was precious in God's sight.

As no one needs to convince you to eat (we sometimes eat when our stomachs are full already!) when you are hungry, when you are born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ you will have a natural hunger for His Word.  If His Word is not tantalizing and desireable, you may not be a new creation in Jesus!  I ate some Kettle potato chips today and they were incredibly good.  I had a hard time closing the bag!  If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, it will be a challenge to keep the Bible shut.  If you read the Bible because you feel guilty when you don't, allow God to examine your heart.  When we fast in obedience to God from food or drink there is always blessing with strength.  Yet when we fast from fellowship with God and His Word, we will wither spiritually.  Let us always feast of the Word of God.  It's impossible to eat too much!