Good Morning Church! Do you Fast?
Fasting was a concept completely foreign to me for most of my life.
Even though it was a big part of the spiritual lives of the early Christians and especially CHRIST HIMSELF.
Growing up in a devout home of Christian faith it is surprising to many that fasting was not a part of our spiritual lives.
We were taught fasting — much like the practice of women covering their head during worship — was what was culturally expected for the time period when the Bible was written— and is not a necessary aspect of modern worship.
However as I have gotten older fasting has taken on new meaning.
My husband and I joined The Madison Church of Christ in 1989.
It was from that pulpit that I was first challenged to pray and fast as part of my spiritual discipline.
The concept seemed ‘ancient and unnecessary’ to me but I decided to give it a try.
I quickly discovered one of the biggest obstacles for me was focusing on the reason we were called to fast in the first place and not on how a day or two of fasting was going to help jump start my latest diet.
Then about seven years ago I finally lost the weight I had been trying to lose most of my adult life and fasting became a great tool for maintaining my weight loss.
So again — every time I would think about fasting the health and fitness benefits would always over shadow the spiritual focus — until I met the Coptic Christian Community.
They take fasting to a whole new level!
These beautiful people are easily some of the most spiritually disciplined Christians I have ever met.
And I suppose witnessing the way they live their lives has rubbed off on me a bit.
Because over the past six months as challenges in my life got a little overwhelming — I found myself being pulled into a true season of spiritual prayer and fasting.
I don’t need to get into the specifics.
But the thought I want to share today is how fasting has significantly changed my spiritual walk.
I have found myself not only fasting from the obvious things but fasting from the constant noise of life as well.
The time I spend in contemplative silence is incredible.
Something I could not have imagined doing a few years ago when the first thing I would do as I walked in the door of my home was turn on the TV or listen to the radio constantly.
Silence was as foreign to me as fasting.
But as I have embraced one the other has taken a hold over my life as well and I find myself constantly reflecting on — BE STILL AND KNOW.
A verse that I have hanging on my wall to remind me to stop and listen for THE VOICE — THE SPIRIT — THE VERY BREATHE OF GOD.
Something I have always tried to do—something I once thought I was doing — but until my recent period of prayer and fasting I don’t think I had ever fully grasped the concept.
Yet I have had the verse hanging on my wall for many many years.
I have a lot of verses hanging on my wall.
Over the course of my life when I would find myself or my family struggling spiritually I would hang a verse on the wall to encourage and remind us WHO was in control and WHO we serve.
But even though these verses have been a part of our lives and our home for all these years they have become more ‘wall decor’ than the guideline they should be for our life.
A couple of years ago a friend of mine gave me a little encased scroll he found in his home as he was preparing the house to sell.
The previous owner had been Jewish and in keeping with tradition and the guidance of scripture they had these little scrolls attached to the door post.
I immediately took it home and attached it to my front door.
I loved the concept — the history — the scriptural significance.
But after I placed it on the door the little scroll became as insignificant as the verses I have scattered throughout my home.
Just another decoration.
Then my season of silence set in and all of these things began to take on new meaning — purposeful meaning.
The meaning that I think GOD intended when HE instructed the Children of Israel to- “write these things on the door post.”
So they would be the last thing they saw as they stepped out into the world.
But over the course of time just like the signs on my wall they can go unnoticed and forgotten — until we find ourselves in need again.
Every spiritual discipline we have been instructed to follow falls into the same pattern.
Often forgotten till needed.
Do you need it now?
Can you find a moment this week to Fast and Pray! Or to reignite a spiritual discipline that has been hanging on the wall just waiting and wanting to be a part of your life?
WHO knows where it will take you?
GOD Bless!
LaVern Vivio
February 26, 2017
