Preparing for the Fast

As I've mentioned before, we are calling a fast for the Severn River Church community. Everyone who worships with us is invited to participate. This 21 day fast is patterned after the fast of Daniel. Daniel wanted to hear from the Lord so he decided to fast. I think SRC needs to hear from God. I want to be close enough to hear His still, small voice. Part of getting there requires purging away things that distract us from relying on him. Fasting food has been a spiritual discipline since the early fathers of Judaism, it continued into the New Testament church and over the centuries to this era. We fast to remember our dependence on God. We fast to obey God. We fast to follow Christ's example.

So how do we fast? It's very doubtful that we're going to eat no food for three weeks, but I would recommend that during this time of fasting you fast food. It is interesting seeing those two words connected "fast food". It is exactly our culture of fast food that I think makes it even more difficult to fast. We're so reliant on the convenient, the immediate. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that peals us away from that culture and instead makes us look to the eternal, the everlasting. And knowing the everlasting takes time. That's why scripture repeatedly tells us that the way to know God is through waiting.

Perhaps you could fast by giving up one meal a day. Perhaps you would take lunch for a period of days (maybe all 21) and instead of eating, you would spend time in prayer and scripture meditation. Maybe you could honor God in your fast like Isaiah talks about by donating your food to the poor. Or you may give up a portion of your meal like Daniel did; abstaining from meat and processed foods.

Just like fast food has affected our culture are there other things that we've become reliant on other than God? I know that I've benefited from fasting radio, music, news, and information. I know a person who finds dependence for normalcy in reading, so she fasted reading so that she could focus on God for normalcy.

I guess I wonder if at the end of 21 days we could all say that we fasted and more importantly we would all know the mind of God a little more clearly. What is it that you'll do without for 21 days in order to participate with this faith community on this fast?


--Ben