A journey into the world of fasting.
I love food, I love thinking about it, cooking it, giving it to my family and using it in hospitality, I especially love eating.
It is a cause of joy to me that God made us to appreciate so many different flavours and textures, he created us with the capacity to enjoy what we eat rather than just having to eat out of necessity. As with so many other things though, what God made to be good we can often take and make it not so good. I am well aware that at times I comfort eat and put food in the place of God and I am sure I am not alone in this!
Jesus said in Matthew 6 ‘When you fast’…. Not if but when. Fasting is something I have only done once or twice in my life and I confess I don’t really understand it, it can feel a little like spiritual blackmail, and yet Jesus made it plain that fasting was something that was a regular part of his followers' lives.
It has become increasingly important to me to try to understand more about this ancient practice and to root it in my own life.
Why now? Perhaps because the world's problems seem so huge, perhaps because I feel a new sense of urgency to pray for my neighbours, perhaps because I feel it is something God is calling me to do.
So with some trepidation but mostly a huge sense of expectation I am beginning this journey. I am starting by reading ‘Fasting’ by Scot McKnight. I will be keeping a record of this journey into fasting on this blog, will you join me?
