Fasting & Feasting

Here we are the middle of January and I am wondering why in the world I decided to fast from talking too much, from judging others, having a critical spirit, etc. I did ok for the first few days until someone had road rage and I was their target. Judgements sputtered out. And I did ok until someone hurt my grandaughter’s feelings and my claws came out. My resolution to talk less and listen more was going great until I decided to give my sermon on the mount to my husband. So what went wrong? What went wrong is that my resolution has two parts: Fasting from anything that separates me from God and feasting on God’s Word. The problem is that I wasn’t living up to my resolve to feast on the Word.

Remedy

Resolutions are only as good as our dependency on the Lord. We can have great intentions. We can even live up to our resolutions for awhile. But then our resolve breaks down and we need the supernatural (above the natural) love of Christ to press on. So often we have an attitude of : I can do all things…. forgetting that God’s Word says:  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He strengthens us with His Word.

This week I felt as though I was knee deep in alligators. Today as I pondered the fact that I am only half way through the week and things aren’t  going well,  I sought the Lord. Just like the Israelites I cried out to God for help. I so relate to their whining. But here is the thing. God always responds. He is for us and not against us. When we try and do things on our own, when we make great promises and fail, if we turn back to Him He responds with love. His Word is His love letter to us and He wants to write His letter on our hearts. When I returned to feasting on His Word, my resolve to fast from those things that separate me from Him became easy. Fasting and feasting. Why not give it a try?