Have you ever watched races that happen in an oval? Horse races, bike races, dog races, car races — all having movement and excitement but inevitably all ending up where they started. In the end, the winning is more about the excitement and entertainment than it is about accomplishment. Yes, the winner receives a prize and money was exchanged so people could be distracted for a while … but, in the grand scheme of things, nothing was accomplished. Has going to church seemed like this at times? I’m sure that the Israelites must have felt this as they travelled through the wilderness for forty years.
God is calling His church break out of the oval we seem to get ourselves in. The oval can be different for each person but the circuit seems largely the same. It can be the oval of routine Christian experience, where you simply are doing what you or your family has always done. It can be the oval of expectation, where we don’t expect anything different from God in our lives. The oval can even be in our relationship with God, where we haven’t really spoken with Him about anything new in a while (even though He may want to … have we even listened?). I’m not interested in a 2013 that is the same as 2012, 2011, 2010, 1999, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1894, 1768 …. God is also interested in a fresh, new, vibrant relationship with His church.
Fasting is a means to break out of the oval. It is not some magic formula for change. It isn’t some combination to the vault of God’s provision. Fasting is something by which we acknowledge and experience God as the only source of all things pertaining to life for us. While food is certainly essential to life, other forms of fasting are acceptable when you are stepping away from something that seems to be essential to your life. It may be television, social media, coffee or sports. However, the focus of fasting is not in what you are being deprived of but in Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). This is also seen in Jesus’ challenge that those who are fasting should look like they are experiencing life and not death (Matt. 6:16-18).
Prayer must be a part of the fast for it to be about moving into greater life in Christ. Without prayer, a fast is simply about denial. So, for this fast the church will be open for prayer each night of the fast at 7:00. We will be praying through themes in Isaiah 58 — the chapter often known as “God’s Chosen Fast.” I will be providing a brief thought/message on each day of the fast and it will reflect the prayer theme for that day. These thoughts will be accessible on the church website (www.freedomcentre.org) or on the church Facebook page. At each evening prayer there will be music (live or recorded) but the focus will remain on relating to and responding to God as He leads us through this Isaiah 58 fast.
I anticipate that we will all look different by the end of the fast. Following Jesus in this way will change us. As we continue to see Him more clearly, we become more like Him (2 Cor. 3:18; 1 John 3:2). I look forward to seeing you as often as you can from January 6 to 26.
Journeying with you,
Pastor Merril
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