Mark 2:18-22

A Discussion about Fasting

18 John's disciples and the Pharisees sometimes fasted.
     One day some people came to Jesus and asked,
     "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"
19 Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
     They can't fast while they are with the groom. 
20 But someday he will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 
21 And who would patch an old garment with unshrunk cloth?
     For the new patch shrinks and pulls away from the old cloth,
     leaving an even bigger hole than before. 
22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The wine would burst the wineskins,
     spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine needs new wineskins."
(NLT)

Fasting. One of the most misunderstood functions of the Bible. Should we fast, are we commanded to fast, is fasting good or bad for us, is fasting just an Old Testament thing or is it something to honor God with? Should we fast? Yes. Is fasting good for us? Yes. Is fasting just an Old Testament thing? No. Is fasting something to honor God with? Yes. This is probably the most important part of fasting, to honor God. Fasting is when we give up something for something better. We give up food (which God continually gives us) for a period of time to focus our attention on God. Notice that this is about God not giving up food. It is exchanging something we do in order for us to focus all of our attention on God. It is about building a deeper relationship with God. If you look at the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness it was more about Him communing with His Father than about the test. Yes, He was tested but He was spending time with God. The disciples did not fast because the groom (Jesus) was with them but now He is taken away to heaven and now it is time to fast. God has given up so much for us, basically, He has given 100% to us and all He asks of us is to tithe about 10% and to fast now and then. Not much is it. Where are you in your relationship with God? We should always be moving to a deeper relationship with Him and that does include fasting. Fasting is not always about food, sometimes it is giving up something in our lives to say “God you are more important to me than these things and I am giving them up to spend that time with you.”

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