Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Spiritual hunger is something that we have to take an active part in. It is not a gift that is simply given by God, but rather it is a gift that we must take part in, one that we must choose to stir, practice and grow. Fasting is one of the greatest tools we have been given to help us grow in our hunger and thirst.
For many of us, fasting has been presented as a way to get God’s attention. We have thought that if we would fast then God would take notice, or God would move on our behalf, or God would simply be pleased. Isaiah 58, probably the greatest chapter in the Bible on fasting, says in verse 4, “You will not fast as you do on this day, to make your voice heard on high.” I believe that there is a prophetic piece to this passage, God is speaking through Isaiah that fasting would change when the Messiah came, that it would change from a way to try to get God’s attention to a way to give God more of our attention.
In this week’s message I try to present fasting as a gift that will emtpy us of dependence upon worldly things and place our full attention, affection and desire upon God. I pray that God’s Word will speak to your heart and that we, together, might follow Jesus’ example and choose to fast in our bodies and in our souls so that our spirit’s might be fed fully by the presence and Word of God.