Three Days.
This is now the longest fast I have ever done.
I felt nauseous and weak this morning. I took a little juice mixed with water, and was soon feeling pretty normal. I felt ok most of the day and didn't feel too hungry until dinner time, even though I went to two birthday parties. As the afternoon wore on I began feeling some gas pain in my abdomen. I also felt colder than normal, and a bit more irritable at the kids.
Megan got the kids pizza ($3.99 large at Dominos, what a deal!). When I smelled the pizza I knew that pizza was the answer to all my problems. It would make me happy, and full. It would make all my pain go away. Pizza would give me instant energy. It would even make me love my children more. Pizza is life!
This morning I read the account of Jesus fasting for 40 days in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It seems like Jesus went into the wilderness in order to be tempted. Fasting is not a magic shield against temptation and fleshly desire. In fact, the fasting directly led to Satan's first big temptation - break the fast. Use your Jesus powers to make bread and eat it. After all, you know you can.
I don't have Jesus powers to make stone into bread, but I have the power to eat. My house is full of food. There are dozens of restaurants and stores within a mile of my house to go get a hot meal. Maybe that's why Jesus went to the wilderness to fast. In fact, The only people the Bible mentions doing a 40 day fast (Moses Elijah, and Jesus) did so in the wilderness alone. Might be something to that.
I love how Jesus answered Satan. The reason he didn't break his fast - "Man does not live on bread alone." He knew bread could satiate his hunger, but it could not satisfy all his needs. He could not abandon the greater need to satisfy the lesser.
Here's how The Message puts it, "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” (Matt 4:4) I've been trying to meditate on these words throughout the day.
We think we can't live one day without food, which is false, but we think hearing God's voice is optional. Maybe on Sunday, or whenever we get to it. We have it backwards. We need a steady stream of words from God. We need it more than food. And when we miss it we are missing a big part of life.
Oh how I want to get to the point where a day without hearing from God, without meditating on his words leaves me feeling the hunger I feel today. My aim is to want to be with God more than I want a hot cheesy slice of pizza. Every once in a while I am there for a few brief moments. Those are the best moments.
If you want to know a more complete story of my journey into fasting. Check out the rest of the series.
A Different Kind of Hunger
Day One: Feelings
Day Two: Waking up Hungry
This is now the longest fast I have ever done.
I felt nauseous and weak this morning. I took a little juice mixed with water, and was soon feeling pretty normal. I felt ok most of the day and didn't feel too hungry until dinner time, even though I went to two birthday parties. As the afternoon wore on I began feeling some gas pain in my abdomen. I also felt colder than normal, and a bit more irritable at the kids.
Megan got the kids pizza ($3.99 large at Dominos, what a deal!). When I smelled the pizza I knew that pizza was the answer to all my problems. It would make me happy, and full. It would make all my pain go away. Pizza would give me instant energy. It would even make me love my children more. Pizza is life!
This morning I read the account of Jesus fasting for 40 days in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It seems like Jesus went into the wilderness in order to be tempted. Fasting is not a magic shield against temptation and fleshly desire. In fact, the fasting directly led to Satan's first big temptation - break the fast. Use your Jesus powers to make bread and eat it. After all, you know you can.
I don't have Jesus powers to make stone into bread, but I have the power to eat. My house is full of food. There are dozens of restaurants and stores within a mile of my house to go get a hot meal. Maybe that's why Jesus went to the wilderness to fast. In fact, The only people the Bible mentions doing a 40 day fast (Moses Elijah, and Jesus) did so in the wilderness alone. Might be something to that.
I love how Jesus answered Satan. The reason he didn't break his fast - "Man does not live on bread alone." He knew bread could satiate his hunger, but it could not satisfy all his needs. He could not abandon the greater need to satisfy the lesser.
Here's how The Message puts it, "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” (Matt 4:4) I've been trying to meditate on these words throughout the day.
We think we can't live one day without food, which is false, but we think hearing God's voice is optional. Maybe on Sunday, or whenever we get to it. We have it backwards. We need a steady stream of words from God. We need it more than food. And when we miss it we are missing a big part of life.
Oh how I want to get to the point where a day without hearing from God, without meditating on his words leaves me feeling the hunger I feel today. My aim is to want to be with God more than I want a hot cheesy slice of pizza. Every once in a while I am there for a few brief moments. Those are the best moments.
If you want to know a more complete story of my journey into fasting. Check out the rest of the series.
A Different Kind of Hunger
Day One: Feelings
Day Two: Waking up Hungry
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