Ian Barclay's Thought For The Day

A CHRISTIAN LOOKS AT MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
Fasting
Reading: Matthew 6:16-18 Click to view passage

In the Western world of the 21st century, fasting is not something that we often think about but it is an essential part of religious life in the East. Again, note Jesus doesn’t say, “If you fast,” but “when you fast,” he is presuming we will. There is a little table at the beginning of the Book of Common Prayer, entitled “Days of Fasting and Abstinence. A quick glance will tell you it imagines we will fast for about 100 days a year. The Reformers such as Luther, Calvin and Knox all practiced fasting. It wasn’t confined to any particular theological perspective; Jonathan Edwards, the Calvinist, joined hands with John Wesley the Arminian, David Brainerd with Charles Finney.
Perhaps it is time we reviewed the subject? At the beginning of my ministry, I fasted every Friday until 6pm but I stopped when I started a travelling ministry as I thought it might be difficult for those who gave me hospitality. The question we need to ask is, “Why fast?” The answer is simple: because the bible and Jesus presume we will. What are the benefits of fasting? Well it is good for our health, it stops us becoming slaves to habit but supremely, it gives us extra time for prayer. We need to give some serious thought to fasting.

Meditation: Do I need to think about fasting?
Prayer pointer: Am I missing a valuable resource as a disciple?

Matthew:28