Fast Like Me

February 23

(Luke 5:33-35 NIV) ““They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." {34} Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? {35} But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.””

(Luke 18:11-12 NIV) “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. {12} I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' ”

(Matthew 6:16-18 NIV) “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. {17} But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, {18} so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Fasting is a neglected spiritual discipline today. Fasting is simply going without food for a period of time. Sometimes we fast before a medical procedure. Sometimes we fast to diet and lose weight. But fasting has a spiritual dimension as well, and some fast for the purpose of drawing closer to God. Fasting was a prominent practice in Israel when Jesus lived there. The Pharisees criticized Jesus because his disciples didn’t fast as much as they did. One of the chief faults of religion is that instead of looking at God and saying, “Why aren’t we more like Him?”, it looks at others and says, “Why can’t you be more like me?”. The Pharisees had become religious and were very prideful in their spiritual practices. Thus, the original intent of fasting had been lost. It no longer brought them closer to God, but had become a means of placing themselves above others. Don’t go there, Christian. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day