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We are on 4-week of fasting together as a community, I started to learn and write about fasting on this blog because I really want to share. Actually, I started to fast at the end of February. But, it’s neither of days, because I didn’t fast for a few days later. But, now, I am fasting.
Then, what are the lessons about fasting?
We know fasting is an annual tradition for all religions, but they
have different how to fast. In Christianity, we know how Jesus fasted for about
40 days in Matthew 4: 1-2. Jesus fasted to avoid temptation by the devil. I
think His fasting goal is avoiding the temptation of the devil. But we see
different meanings of fasting. Look at Luke 2: 37 NIV, when Anna the daughter
of Phanuel, of the tribe of the Asher, fasted to worship and pray. In the Old
Testament, Moses spent with the Lord forty days and forty nights, he neither
ate bread nor drank water in Exodus 34: 28. Some various how to fast in the
Bible, which three days of fasting like Esther in Esther 4: 16. Then, Prophet
Daniel fasted 21 days. So, the Old Testament has defined of fasting in
different how to fast and what the goal of fasting is.
Jesus fasted and the twelve of Christ were also fasting, as how
Jesus commands in Mark 2. We know Christians are in order fasting but how long
they should fast? It depends on the individual and the church tradition, I’m
sure. In the Catholic church, we are fasting ahead of Easter and start fasting
on Ash Wednesday was to be held at the end of February. Protestant churches have different in observing Ash Wednesday and fasting traditions. But we
do not see how to fast but we see how devotion that we should do.
Fasting is a rest day
I remember that when we were at a Bible study, I asked a pastor
why I had never fasted three years since getting baptized because I didn’t
know how to fast. A pastor told me that that’s okay if I don’t fast because I
don’t know how to fast but he strongly suggests learning more and finding what
means of fasting. Praise God, now, I know how to fast and I’m fasting. I see
fasting as beneficial to me, by having a rest day. Then, what is a rest day?
A rest day isn’t mean just sitting down and spending at home but
spending with the Lord more. You still can work and study as usual but you need
to spend more with Him. Aren’t you having lunch, aren’t you? Yeah, this is a
rest day, because you do not have lunch and instead of it, you worship God.
Be sure by fasting is to spend God.
We see how Jesus orders us in fasting by the right way in Matthew
6: 16-18 ESV. You fast because God orders you. You do not fast because your
friends do not. That’s by how way you do so. I remind when I fasted, I always
thought, “Why am I disallowed to have lunch and, or, just waiting up until
night so I am allowed to eat?” sometimes I would say, what I should do when
fasting? So, it as which ends up just sitting down and going to bed.
That is all about as to follow my environment where in order fasting.
Actually, what I found is that it doesn’t biblically, I would say. Hypocrites,
a word I found in the Bible. You fast because of God. We know fasting is a commandment,
but we see how the right way and worth doing in what we do and we see in
devotion lets us do the right way. If you do not fast, that’s okay because you
fast nor not, you need to follow and listen to the Holy Spirit in what orders you must be.
Fasting is good, the way you observe, worship, and spend more with
God. Never boring to follow Jesus and share Jesus about the world.
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