By Dr. John E. Warren
Sr. Pastor, Eagle’s Nest Christian Center, San Diego, CA
This week millions of Christians will began a 40 day journey of fasting or giving up something they deem important as a sacrifice in observance of Lent. Lent is the 40 day period leading up to the observance of Easter established by the Catholic Church. It starts with Ash Wednesday which this year occurred on March 5th, the day after the end of Mardi Gra or “Fat Tuesday” as the last day of Carnival is known.
Fasting is the act of denying the body food for spiritual reasons as opposed to dieting which is the act of giving up food for the sole purpose of losing weight with no spiritual implications. But lent so often involves just making a decision to do without something that one likes rather than doing without something that one needs. In the Bible itself, there are more than 35 Biblical fasts recorded, at least 9 for a one day period, three for 3 days, 2 for 7 days, 1 for 14 days, 1 for 21 days and 4 for 40 days, one of which was done by Jesus himself following his baptism. Prayer is the one item that sets fasting apart from dieting and since so many have changed the meaning to one of just show and tell, it’s important to review what God said about fasting in the Book of Isaiah at Chapter 58 starting at verse 3:
“Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high, Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? As if to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to The Lord? “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? “Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the [poor that are cast out to your house?…” (verses 4 -70).Clearly there are spiritual benefits to the fast. Perhaps now would be a good time for each person to use this opportunity to engage in a fast, according to God’s mandate and not the show and tell that so many use when going through the motions without the heart being engaged.
We would like to hear your thoughts on this matter during the next 40 days as we say more about fasting and the results that have been documented.
