To Our Grace Family,
Fasting is feasting. I know, I know that doesn’t sound quite right - but it’s exactly right. It’s biblically right! I find it amazing how many deep and vital Biblical truths seem upside down at first glance. The greatest of all is the least of all, the first shall be last, It is better to give than to receive, etc.
Our Pastor, by the leading of Jesus, has called our church - and each of us - to fast. From Saturday, March 28th Through April 10th (Good Friday!) we are looking to dive deeper with God together. But why?
Fasting is practiced in the Bible in many ways and for many reasons. It comes to the forefront in times of crisis where a special fast would be called by leadership to humble themselves and cry out to God for mercy and deliverance from enemies or in repentance from sin. Unfortunately, fasting was also abused by people who would brag about how loooong and haaaard it was to suffer for God to show off their “spirituality” within their community. Gross. But here’s the truth about fasting:
Fasting is feasting. When we choose for this short season together to humble ourselves, resist our appetites, and focus on God’s presence, we will experience the upside-down truth of it all. It’s exactly what Pastor Bill shared last Wednesday night - “It’s not that fasting gives us more access to God. No, fasting gives God more access to us“
So here I am to encourage you to engage! Let’s cry out to our God in this world-wide crisis for mercy, let’s repent deeply for ourselves and our nation, let’s stoke our appetite for feasting on God’s presence as we fast from the appetites of this broken world! Our goal here is not to be proud of ourselves for sacrificing anything. C.S. Lewis, talking about practices like this said that “They are necessary as a means; as an end, they would be abominable”. The endgame here is God Himself and connecting deeply with our Great Shepherd, who loves each of His sheep dearly.
I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry - and I’m not talking about Tacos. Let’s do this together!
Humbly & with Love, Pastor Doug
Matthew 6:16 - 18 // “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who [is] in the secret [place]; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”