Day 28: to Eat or Not to Eat
Day 28
To Eat or Not to Eat
“I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:4 net
The definition of the Greek word rendered “to fast” in the New Testament is: abstaining from eating. So, this practice of choosing to forgo food to increase our focus on God and faith in Him is an important part of Christian discipleship. After all, Jesus fasted forty days before He began His public ministry. But we need to be careful before we start putting down our forks and posting humble-brags on social media, because our Messiah actually warned about the potential dangers associated with fasting as often as He endorsed the activity.
For instance, when some men asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast, our Savior equated fasting with sorrow and essentially said His homeboys wouldn’t mourn until He left the proverbial building:
Then they said to him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but yours eat and drink.” Jesus said to them, “You can’t make the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them, can you?” (Luke 5:33–34)
Then during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautioned people about distorting the private discipline of fasting to get a public pat on the back:
“Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt. 6:16–18)
Furthermore, long before Jesus advised His followers against fakey-fasting, God the Father reprimanded the Israelites about it:
“They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. . . . ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ ‘I will tell you why!’ I respond. ‘It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.’” (Isa. 58:2–4 nlt)
Now before those of you in the Bible-banger-club—of which I’m a card-carrying member!—get your socks in a wad, of course there are lots of examples in Scripture where fasting is framed in a positive light, too! Like when the Jews obediently fasted to observe the Day of Atonement according to Old Testament law (Lev. 16:29); when Daniel fasted while repenting on behalf of God’s people (Dan. 9:3–19); when Anna, an octogenarian female prophet, fasted while loitering around the temple hoping to meet the Messiah (Luke 2:36–38); when Jesus fasted for forty days while satan tempted Him in the desert (Matt. 4:1–11); and when faithful leaders in early church history fasted (Acts 10:30; 14:23). What do all those examples teach us? That fasting with a pure heart can be an effective way to humble ourselves and honor God during seasons of intense prayer and worship.
As Christ-followers, we must first rest in the fact that our Creator Redeemer listens to us—whether we’re skipping meals or inhaling cheeseburgers—because He loves us. Then, after trusting God to be the perfect audience for all our prayers, it’s a good idea to examine our motives for pushing away from the table. Are we choosing to fast to focus more intently on our heavenly Father, or to draw attention to our own devotion?
Only when the Holy Spirit gives us the green light to forgo food so as to draw near to God should we put down our forks. And if we don’t get the go-ahead for a literal fast immediately, we can always practice “fasting” from criticism, self-absorption, and unkindness!