Today’s scripture: Mark 2:18-22 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Julie Benson):
My first full-time job out of college was as a music teacher at a maximum security juvenile correctional facility. Near the end of my tenure, I had a profound experience with a then-eighteen year old named Virgil, who was both in my class and in the housing unit I worked with. After being abandoned by his mother and witnessing the murder of his father at the age of four, Virgil was moved into the foster system and shuffled between a dozen foster placements. Though he was born to Christian parents, he was eventually converted to a foster parent’s Islamic faith.
Virgil became curious about the way I carried myself and we began an intense dialogue about religion, faith, and integrity. He was curious to learn more about Christianity and I, in turn, agreed to learn more about Islam.
My first lesson was to understand that Islam is based on five pillars, or principles, one of which is the 30 days of fasting between sunrise and sunset during the season of Ramadan. The correctional facility accommodated this practice of their Muslim students and Virgil diligently took part.
Because I had not grown up in a church that emphasized fasting, I was unfamiliar with the history and reasoning behind the practice. But I learned that fasting is an act of humility; an expression of our dependence on God and our submission to God’s will. It wasn’t about bringing attention to ourselves or claiming bragging rights. I also learned that this spiritual discipline is not about trying to twist God’s arm to answer a particular prayer, but rather to help us focus more intently on God overall by increasing our ability to concentrate and increasing our sensitivity to the things of the Spirit.
My intrigue about fasting peaked as Lent approached. Though it wasn’t my custom to make specific sacrifices during this season, I was influenced by the Muslim concept of Ramadan. So in 2003, for forty days (plus the seven Sundays) of Lent, I fasted from sunrise to sunset.
During the first few days, pangs of hunger during the afternoon hours lured me to give up my plans, but I ignored this passing desire, persisted in my discipline, and used the time in sincere conversation with God as I had prepared myself to do.
Soon my body adjusted to the lack of food and I found that instead of devoting my lunch time to prayer, I spent it working on other projects. I started to feel guilty that I hadn’t adhered to the model of fasting I had established for myself. I thought the whole purpose of this experience was to replace food with God; that the time I spent deliberately skipping a meal was intended for God alone.
But then I stepped back and looked at the big picture. After only a week I had already established a new routine. Getting up earlier to have a small meal before sunrise meant that I had more time before leaving for work. So I added a morning Bible devotion to my schedule. I was already disciplined in the practice of “breath prayer”, where God is kept in the forefront of consciousness and conversation occurs regularly throughout the day, but these prayers took on new life throughout this fasting experience. They were infused with more depth and radiance. I found myself listening to the Spirit more than ever before. I was making bold statements and significant decisions that were uncharacteristic for me. I uncovered compassion overflowing and acted with the radical love of Jesus. Looking back, I still feel that this period of my life was the one in which my faith was the strongest.
Fasting may be a practice that falls outside of your tradition or standard form of devotion. We learn in today’s passage that Jesus’ disciples had no need to fast because they had the Son of God physically present with them. But today we are waiting for Jesus to return, so periodically we may be called to fasting. Maybe it’s for one or two days. Maybe it’s a sequence of days from sunrise to sunset. There is no prescription for how it needs to be achieved. God only asks us to humble ourselves and to experience an increase in our spiritual sensitivity and awareness.
Thought for the day: Consider taking another look at fasting and the spiritual significance it could have in your own life.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.