Day 6 Fasting For Spiritual Renewal
Luke 2:37
"She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer."
The testimony of God's people throughout history suggests that fasting and personal and corporate renewal have always been intricately connected. The reason for this is that fasting – the wilful giving up of physical sustenance for a set time to seek God and his will – weans us off dependence on this world and sharpens our reliance on God. Richard Foster has stated that more than any other discipline, "fasting reveals the things that control us." It is during a season of fasting that we are vulnerable enough before God to see what truly drives our lives.
Fasting has been a consistent practice for God's people to humble themselves and align their desires with God's. Oftentimes, when we see fasting in the first Testament, in the first century, or the early church, what we see is less about fasting for an external outcome (though of course we do see that), but more often, it is a disciplining of body and soul so that one's heart is laid bare before God and made ready for Him.
Anna, the prophetess introduced at the beginning of Luke, is noteworthy for her regular practice of worshipping God through prayer and fasting. Likely, this is referring to the common practice in her time of setting aside at least one day a week to fast and seek God's face. As a result of her living in this constant posture, we see that she is ready to be used by God. When Jesus is brought into the temple at eight days old, she is ready to proclaim good news to "all that were looking forward to the redemption of Israel." Anna lived in personal renewal.
This is not just true of us individually, but also corporately. Scripture highlights this too – when God’s people collectively humble themselves and seek his face, renewal is the result. In the deeply moving words of Joel 2, God calls the people to rend their hearts, not just their garments (i.e. don’t do this for show, be real about it), to fast and seek his face (2:12-17). The result is national spiritual renewal. In fact, it is after the sacred fast is called that we see the stunning promise, fulfilled in Acts 2, that God will send his Spirit on all flesh.
Ultimately, fasting is not about twisting God’s arm but about bending our hearts. When we approach fasting from this posture and open ourselves completely to the Lord, confessing sin and inviting his correction, seeking to surrender to his ways, then renewal for us and for others is the result.
Family Discussion Questions
1. Chat together as a family and unpack how fasting could be less about moving God, and more about allowing ourselves to be moved. What might this look like or sound like in practice?
2. How could we direct our prayers this day to help us focus more on our inner renewal and the renewal of our brothers and sisters in Christ?