Fast becomes Feast!

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"I have heard your prayers; I have seen your tears" (Isa 38:5)


For Esther and her friends, fasting was a preparation for intercession before the King. Imagine a "queen" and her maids fasting for three days! The Lord granted her an unusual courage. She declared, "If I perish, I perish!" (Esth 4:l6). Days of mourning gave birth to days of merrymaking. The King granted her request. So the Jews had "light and gladness, joy and honour" (8:16). How can we have laughing without ever weeping, dancing without ever mourning? (Eccl 3:4). Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Mt 5:4).

The King of Niniveh commanded men as well as beasts to fast and cry to God for mercy. God was pleased with what they did and He withdrew His judgment (Jon 3:7-10). The Sword of Damocles is hanging over our cities and towns. Sin is rampant and judgment imminent. Humbling in repentance and prayer alone can avert the disaster. God is a Saviour. He is never interested to destroy those "who cannot discern between their right hand and their left" (4:11). But He demands His conditions fulfilled: "If My people will humble themselves and pray... I will heal their land" (2 Chron 7:14).

Several of those who used to fast so much during their youth, during the early years of their Christian life, become quite slack and negligent in this spiritual habit in their middle age. They would say, "Nowadays I am not able to fast as I used to!" But Anna was a widow of 84 years! She served God "with fastings and prayers night and day" (Lk 2:36,37). We don't deny there are health reasons not to fast. But in fact fasting gives rest to the digestive system and so improves health (Isa 58:8).

It is easy to dismiss the examples of fasting as belonging to the Old Testament dispensation. But even a cursory look at the New Testament will convince us that men continued enjoying the benefits of fasting in New Testament times too. That's why Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount said, "WHEN you fast" and not "IF you fast!" (Mt 6:16).

"Fasting means concentration," wrote Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), the saintly author of the classic, My Utmost for His Highest. If you fast regularly, this promise is yours: "The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be joy and gladness and CHEERFUL FEASTS!" (Zech 8:19).


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