Over the last few months God has been teaching me more and more about prayer and fasting. All too often I have viewed fasting and prayer as a last resort. When really need an answer from God then you fast. However, God has been showing me something new and different in my way of viewing prayer and fasting.
When Jesus went to the desert for 40 days it wasn't as a last resort it was in preparation. The same with Daniel, when he called all of the men of Israel to not eat all the rich food of the Babylonians, it wasn't a last resort it was also in preparation. Over and over again in the bible prayer and fasting appear and as far as I can tell it is in preparation for what is to come not as a last resort to what has occurred.
In the light of this I have felt called to live a life of fasting. Setting aside time to be with God and preparing my heart for His return and seeking his guidance for what is to come. I decided three weeks ago I choose to set aside one day a week to fast and pray. My friend Kimberly already get together during the week to pray so she has also joined me in fasting, because it is much easier to stick to your fast when you know someone else is doing it with you.
This week God really opened my eyes to a world of new things. When you are fasting all of your senses are heightened. You can smell things you never noticed before, colors almost seem brighter, and when you break your fast, food has never tasted better. I also think that your spiritual senses are heightened as well, I seem to be much more attuned to hear God's voice when I am fasting.
I had taken my 4th graders out for their earned extra recess on Thursday. While I was watching the students interact with each other I felt a great burden to pray for each one of them. The thought came to my head that I would never want to be a kid again. Kids are mean for one, they hurt each other in so many ways everyday and those wounds are wounds that last a life time. Also there so many kids that have had to face things in life, that even now at 26 I can't even imagine. There is a great sense of oppression upon our children here in the US.
My heart has been broken for these kids that walk through my door everyday. I praise the Lord that he has put me in a position where I can influence them. Even though I can't speak directly about the love of Christ to them, I pray they encounter Christ in me everyday. I want to be a light that can shine in the dimness of their darkened worlds.
1 comment:
I agree about the whole 'heightened senses' thing. I read once that fasting increases your CAPACITY for understanding. Thus when God shows you something, after you've been fasting, instead of seeing one dimensional like usual, you will be able to see the same thing on many plains at once. Make sense? Very cool!! I love you.. and miss you! When do I get to see you??
p.s. you have GOT to read "Rewards of Fasting" (A Fasted Lifestyle) by Mike Bickle and Dana Candler. Soooooo good.
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