Spiritual Discipline Tuesday - Fasting

[For a list of others writing about fasting today be sure to check out Joe Kennedy’s blog.  Be sure to click on the Spiritual Disciplines link.  I especially recommend Adam Feldman’s post.]

Fasting is one of those spiritual disciplines that we know we find in the Bible, but about which we typically know very little.  Until recently very little had been written on fasting from the perspective of the Christian’s disciplined life, but that has begun to change.

There are a number of both spiritual and practical aspects to fasting.  For a good in-depth treatment of both I would recommend Arthur Wallis’ God’s Chosen Fast.  It is particularly helpful for those who do not know where to start when it comes to fasting.  If there is some interest in my writing something about those practical matters then let me know in comments.  Otherwise, I will concentrate on some of the spiritual dimensions.

One question that is often asked is: Is fasting still for today?  The answer is, yes it is.  In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches his disciples about fasting and assumes that they will do so with the words, "when you fast."  We also see the Christians in Antioch fasting as they set apart Paul and Barnabas for their missions work (Acts 13:1ff).

Why should we fast?  I want to give two primary answers to that question.  In the above mentioned book Arthur Wallis says that fasting is at God’s choosing and is for a particular spiritual purpose.  We know that the hyper-religious Jews of Jesus’ day fasted twice a week yet remained far from God.  Fasting, as with any other spiritual discipline in our lives, can become a "religious duty" that we take on as a way of demonstrating our devotion, sincerity and spiritual fervor.  However, fasting is not something that will win you brownie points with God just because you’ve done it.  As with any other spiritual discipline we can approach fasting with improper and even selfish motives.

There are particular times in our lives, however, in which we particularly need to hear from God.  The Antiochian church in Acts needed to hear confirmation that God was setting apart Paul and Barnabas for their missionary journeys.  I have faced a number of times like these when an important decision needed to be made.  Fasting can be a means of setting our thoughts and attention on God instead of on the competing voice of our grumbling stomachs.  Those may be good opportunities to use the time normally spent at meals spending them in prayer and seeking God for direction instead.

But we don’t have to wait on a particular circumstance of importance to arise in order to fast for spiritual purposes.  Regular fasts can be a way of conditioning ourselves in new habits of seeking the voice of God.  We begin to condition ourselves by the use of our calendars to set aside time intentionally so that we might hear from God and what he is saying to us.

The second answer to the why question is related to that purpose, and that is as a very real reminder of the Lordship of Christ in all things.  In a typically modern way of Christian thinking we often recognize Jesus as Lord of all spiritual things, but not all earthly things.  Of course, his Lordship of earthly things has yet to be completed, but for the Christian Jesus’ Lordship should always be making ever-increasing inroads into every sphere of our lives.

One of the areas of modern life in America where we have a great battle on our hands is in the area of Jesus’ Lordship over our appetites.  Every time our stomach’s growl or feel the slightest bit empty our natural reaction in our culture of plenty is to feed it.  It is not unusual for us to eat three meals a day and snack in between and after.  Obesity is a plague in our country and Christians (and Baptists) are often the worst offenders.  In so many ways our bellies have become our gods.  When that lord speaks or even gives the slightest whisper we rush to its aid to give immediate comfort and satisfaction.  We simply do not know how to tell our stomach’s "no, you are not lord."

But fasting begins to recover for us the Lordship of Christ even over our bellies.  We tell ourselves that there is something more important, someone more important, than that lying voice that would have us believe that we would wither and die if it is not immediately fed.

It also teaches us that there is something (someone) that sustains us like no earthly food can.  Dallas Willard says that "fasting is feasting."  Fasting from earthly food is feasting on Christ, the bread of life.  We don’t simply fast replacing that meal with nothing.  We replace that meal with the Christ who satisfies.  We discover that we are sustained not by breakfast, lunch and dinner, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  And we are truly filled.

When we find that spiritual food we discover that there is no longer a reason to be enslaved by food and drink.  We don’t have to run to a box of Twinkies to find comfort.  We don’t find satisfaction at the bottom of a box of Ding Dongs.

In a day and age where our stomachs rule us in so many ways, recovering the spiritual discipline of fasting can have a tremendous place in our spiritual growth into Christ-likeness.

Anything But That

Since yesterday I hit on a topic that I feel is largely neglected, let me continue the trend a little today.

There are two disciplines Jesus mentions that are very touchy for Christians and Baptists in particular.  He mentions them in his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6.

The first one is giving.  Perhaps this one isn’t neglected so much from the pulpit, though I’m sure that’s occasionally the case - not wanting to sound like a TV huckster and all.  But giving trends within the church are not going in a positive direction.  Americans, who are among the wealthiest in the entire world, give somewhere around 3-6% to/through their churches.  But even that is an astounding amount of money when it’s all totaled up.  American churches literally spend billions (with a "b") on buildings.  Nevertheless, the 3-6% falls short of the Old Testament standard of a tithe.

I don’t intend to debate whether or not the tithe is binding on the church.  In Matthew 23 Jesus said that the Pharisees tithed even on their herbs, but neglected the weightier matters of the law like justice and mercy.  He says that they should have done both.  Nevertheless, it is nowhere commanded in the New Testament.  But I’m of the opinion that the absence of a direct reaffirmation of the tithe in the New Testament was not so that we could feel comfortable giving less. 

As always, our example is God himself.  It’s quite fortunate for humanity in general and the church in particular that God does not give like we do.  If he did it’s quite possible that, rather than giving his own Son he would have sent some sort of not-so-holy man who preached a rather indistinct message that in the end didn’t accomplish much that lasted any length of time.  He would have used the likes of me, except without the slightest benefit of his Spirit or any other redeeming quality that I might providentially possess.  But God can’t give like that because it simply isn’t in his heart to do so.  The Bible says that God so loved the world that he gave.  When Divine love was looking for expression he did so through extravagant generosity.  When God’s love is poured into our hearts it produces a generosity like unto his.

Which says that giving is more than a spiritual discipline - though it is that as well.  I do believe we often learn profound things acting rightly even when it is against our wills.  I do believe that God loves a cheerful giver.  I also believe God can work in the heart of one who unhappily gives as well.  That sort of giving at least forces us to act outside of ourselves.  Perhaps we’ll learn something important in the process, though undoubtedly we won’t last long giving at that level.  We can only take so much.  Either our hearts will change or our pattern of giving will.  So far many hearts remain unchanged.

I’m currently reading through Genesis.  Before there was a law given, before anyone was commanded to give anything at all, both Abraham and Jacob gave a tenth of all they had to God.  They did so out of thankfulness for all that God had done for them.  They recognized their abundance to have come from the hands of God and felt compelled to give back, not because God was in need, not because the local church was in need, not because a preacher or prophet told them to, but out of thankful hearts.

I believe one of the true marks of a redeemed heart is generosity.  One who keeps strict ledgers doesn’t understand God’s accounting methods and misses a great deal of what it means for the church to be the body of Christ in this world.  We give both for the glory of God and for the good of the world.

I had a pastor friend who once said this to his congregation when they were raising money for a particular ministry: "The good news is we have all the money we need.  The bad news is it’s still in your pockets."  God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and he is never in a financial bind.  But he most often gives through his people - those who’s hearts are, like his, overflowing with generosity.

The Poor You Will Have With You Always

Sometimes I think, "If I die, I won’t have to see my children suffering as they are."  Sometimes I even think of killing myself.  So often I see them crying, hungry; and there I am, without a cent to buy them some bread.  I think "My God!  I can’t face it!  I’ll end my life.  I don’t want to look anymore!"

Iracema da Silva, resident of a slum in Brazil, (Quoted in Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by Ronald J. Sider)

Last November I picked up Ron Sider’s book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger at the LifeWay book room set up at our state convention.  I got it for all of $4.97.  [That, dear friend, is the beauty of your local Christian bookstore.  You will have to pay full retail for Food That Says Welcome, but you can find some really good books in the bargain bin for little to nothing.]

It says something that this book, which was first published in the 70s, is now in its fifth edition.  It now has endorsements from a broad range of Christian leaders including John Stott, John Ortberg, Richard John Newhouse, Jack Hayford and Brian McLaren.

According to the World Bank there are 1.2 billion people in our world who live in abject poverty, not in the American sense, but in the real sense.  No TV.  No telephone.  No cell phone.  No computer.  No carpet.  No central heat and air.  No refrigerator.  No means of transportation outside of the means God gave them at birth.  No electricity.  No indoor plumbing.  No outdoor plumbing.  An income of around $1 per day.  The World Bank counts 2.5 billion people to be what they consider low-income where the average annual income for the country is $735 or less per year, or about $2 per day.  An additional 2.4 billion are considered lower-middle income living on something between $736 and $2935 per year.  That’s nearly five billion people.  That’s the overwhelming number of those alive on this earth.

I, on the other hand, am in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest in terms of annual income.  (See where you are here.)

Micro loans are helping the world’s poor improve their economic standing in life.  A few weeks ago a friend turned me on to an organization that helps individuals participate in the micro loan process.  That organization is Kiva.org.  The average loan sought by a person in a family of five is $500.  98% will repay the loan.  Most are women.  For example, Mary, from Kenya, has applied for $300 to diversify her textile stock and increase her customer base.  She has a 12th grade education and training in business management.  Grace is a fishmonger in Ghana who will use the $750 of her loan to buy more fish to sell in her thriving business.  These are just two examples.

Christians today have a total annual income of over $16 trillion.  How will we respond? 

Christmas Tag

I’ve been tagged by Br. T Alphege the Bald…

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate.
Disclaimer: I’ve never had Egg Nog with alcohol in it, but I have taken some NyQuil the past two nights. To any SBC trolls out there, please, please, please don’t hold it against me!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
A little of both, but mostly wrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White on the tree, blue on the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Who is Mistletoe and what did he do to deserve being hung? (No.)

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The day after Thanksgiving. The wife is a real Nazi about this.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Breakfast streusel! I could eat a whole one all by myself.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Christmas morning and all that new stuff!!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What exactly do you mean “the truth about Santa?”

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. My wife’s family has always opened all of their gifts on Christmas Eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Americana.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it!

12. Can you ice skate?
Very poorly.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
No.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Pumpkin Pie!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The reading of Luke 2

17. What tops your tree?
An angel.

18.Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel with O, Holy Night a close second.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum, but I don’t often eat one.

I know some find these things annoying - especially when they get tagged. I think they’re kind of fun, so if you swing by and you’d like to participate, trackback to this post and consider yourself tagged.