Hit it Out

For those of you that are fasting today, and in the Wednesdays to come, I want to give you a piece of advice for lunch time.... It is going to be glaringly obvious at lunch time that something is different. Many will say, "where is your lunch?" or, "why are you not eating?" And you can pull a Peter... You can come up with a reason or an excuse so that way you aren't labeled 'one of those people.' That is my default. I don't want to be labeled a "crazy Christian."

Or you can go over the top. You can say too much too fast.... this generally leaves people thinking about you and other Christians, 'don't cram your Jesus down my throat' or 'you think you're so much better than anyone else, you religious twit.' So option 2 is bogus because you may be having a great experience with the fast but you are turning people away from Christ.

There is a third way... When people ask you why you are not eating, you can give them a simple answer about fasting. This might lead them to be interested in why. When they ask more questions imagine that God is lobbing you a softball. So, crank it out of the park. Explain to them why Christians fast. Do it gently and slowly so that they actually understand what you are saying.

Many people fail because they don't have a plan... so pray that you would be ready. "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). So when the questions start coming today... be ready.

Let me give you a couple of thoughts on fasting so that you can meditate on them all day today:

“More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside of us with food and other things.” -Richard Foster in The Celebration of Discipline

"I humbled my soul with fasting" (Psalm 31:13)

"It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world." -John Piper in A Hunger for God pg. 14