TO FAST OR NOT TO FAST

This past Sunday during the Sunday School hour I had both the middle schoolers and the high schoolers. What a WONDERFUL group of young people they are! Our discussion for the morning revolved around prayer and Lent and fasting and the need for Jesus to die for us. I am amazed at the depth of understanding of some of these young people and the faith that they already are displaying. They are a diverse group, each one unique, some very outgoing and others very quiet; but to my great pleasure each one is willing to read from Scripture, each one is willing to say something, and each one looks me in the eye. That's important, because so often it's hard to know what kind of impact is being made (whether good, bad, if they're thinking 'this person is just really weird').

We talked about how fasting or the taking up of something new can be a discipline, a tool, to help us remember what Jesus did for us, this huge gift that has been given freely, without exception to those willing to receive it, and how say a hunger pain or an urge for a pop, if we are fasting, can be tools, reminders, to take that moment to think about God, to think about Jesus, to pray.

We talked about how Lent does not have to be about fasting; it can be about taking up something new. Maybe reading from the Bible every day, even just allowing the Bible to fall open and read from it at that point.

I came across this article written several years ago and published in the Alive Now magazine that gives some examples and insights into fasting. Take a look at it. You can find it at http://www.upperroom.org/methodx/thelife/articles/fastingactivities.asp

Here's some highlights:

Fasting from IMMEDIACY
Fasting from BACKGROUND NOISE
Fasting from ISOLATION
TOTAL MEDIA BLACKOUT
Getting STARTED


May we Lent together, all ages, every one.

And make the effort to develop a relationship with somone you don't know, but particularly our younger brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if it's just a Hi! how are you? and call them by name.