Does the Dog Wag the Tail Or the Tail the Dog?

In Matthew chapter six Jesus offers His perspective on some of the actions God's people were involved in. He exposes the hypocritical religious culture while offering a simple and brief commentary on the law and religious practice. Jesus mentions prayer and fasting one after the other because these two actions often went together.

Notice that Jesus gives very little instructions in regards to fasting. He is determined to NOT make it law by adding all kinds of rules and regulations about it. If we want to fast we might read this passage and say, "Where are the directions. I wish Jesus had said more about it." What Jesus does not say is liberating. He is determined to allow freedom with fasting. It is not something you are required to do. You could live your entire life as a Christian following after Christ and never fast and that is fine. I must say though, I believe fasting to be a very helpful tool in our relationship with Jesus.

As our church (Canoe Creek Christian Church) prepares for a mission trip to Arizona this summer to help AYM (Apache Youth Ministries: http://www.apacheyouth.com/ ) I presented a challenge to the group to pray and fast for the 40 days prior to the trip. We desire to be a spiritual church and one way to increase this is to rely on God 7 times as much as we rely on the strength of our own hand. We play a role in Kingdom work but the Kingdom work we seek to achieve will move mountains if God is going ahead of us. I fear we can only move pebbles if we go alone.

Something has struck me in regards to fasting. It struck me like that blow you realize you have received where when you wake up with a severe ache and a small loss of memory as to what took place. As I explained to my children fasting and we discussed its purpose it dawned on me just how dependent on things we are. We have given things a foothold in our lives and we live with extreme comforts. If you wish to see just how deep your dedication to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom is start crossing off luxuries from your list.

I told my kids that I am going to fast TV for 40 days and asked them to join me (I asked and did not require. Remember, fasting is not a required action although I believe it is required of anyone who wants to experience the deep end of the swimming pool). When I mentioned this you would have thought I asked them to remove their left arm. In comparison, their mother said that is an excellent idea. Then I took it a step farther. I said that we could even fast air conditioning by placing the thermostat on 80 to which their mother said that is a horrible idea. lol! She didn't see that one coming!

The Bible describes those who follow Jesus as slaves. Romans 6:22 puts it this way, "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God..." Read it all in context. We say Lord and Savior when we accept Jesus and we mean the "Savior" part but we don't understand or care about the "Lord" part. Slaves in bible times were people who willingly placed their lives in slavery because they loved their master. They were bought, just as we have been bought with a price and that price is the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23. Read them).

Don't look at me like that! You made the decision to follow Jesus and be baptized, and if this is the first time you have heard it put to you like this then you have two choices; accept the truth and be excited that you serve a perfect master or choose your own way and turn back to your old life.

How many things control you without you even knowing it? How many things are you a slave to? I can tell you how to find out but be careful it is a dangerous and painful road that will expose the true depth of your sacrifice. We sing, "I love you Lord...and I lift my voice..., but do we really? There is a test that will reveal your depth of love and that test is fasting. Fasting is not so much a test as it is the preparation for a test. We are not commanded to use fasting as a tool but it can be one of the most helpful tools.

Do you want to know if something in your life is controlling you, then put it down for 40 days. Was it hard? You better believe it! If you are unable to say no to something then you don't have control over that thing, it has control over you. This is why we either serve one master or the other. There is no middle ground. The only direction Jesus gave about fasting in Matthew chapter six is that we do it for the right reason. It is not to be done so that people see us and say, "Wow, don't they look all religious." But what if people were to look at us and say, "I wish I had that same kind of desire, sacrifice and dedication in my life."

As you fast allow that desire for what you are fasting to remind you of the kind of desire we should have for God. When your flesh cries out for the thing you want most use that time to remind you to read and pray and allow that fast to deepen your relationship with the only one worthy of desire.