Christchurch / Earthquake / Fasting

The disaster that has recently befallen Christchurch is a genuine tragedy with so many lives lost and so many lives turned upside down. Literally, but also metaphorically, people are shaken, upset, anxious and worried, with any sense of peace they may have had in life evaporated. As a Christ follower my firm conviction is that God is there and can be found in the midst of the storm. Many (I know I have, and perhaps you have) will have experienced something of the divine stirring their hearts in the last 24 hours. We have all been reminded of the gift as well as the frailty of life, the importance and significance of others, both loved ones and complete strangers. What really matters in life is rearranged and realigned as we watch images of the grieving, the broken, and the displaced, and discover that so much of what we do is in pursuit of the temporal and the insignificant. We are reminded of how blessed we are to live in a nation where aid, support, encouragement, rescue and concern is so freely given and available. For those of us who have not lost a loved one, our home, our livelihood, or access to the everyday necessities of life we are thankful. For those that have our hearts and prayers are extended to you.

One of the ways that Christians for centuries have responded to the stirring of God in their hearts is to fast. When we sense his knocking, sometimes the most appropriate way to open ones heart to God and to allow the Holy Spirit to speak and work in our lives is to fast. By choosing to go without we acknowledge that we do not simply depend on food for life, but rather our dependence is on our Creator. By choosing to go without when we do not have to, in some small way we identify with and stand in solidarity with those who at the moment do not have a choice.

If you have felt God stirring your heart in some way or another as a result of the travesty in Christchurch in the last 24 hours my encouragement would be to join me in fasting tomorrow. As we fast our thoughts and prayers will be with those whose lives were yesterday changed forever. As we go hungry we are reminded of the hungry. That which we would normally have spent on food could be donated to Redcross or some other aid agency or organisation working in Christchurch. In a small way, even though we cannot be in Christchurch we can be with Christchurch. God is in Christchurch. God’s heart is for the hurting, the lost, and the broken in Christchurch.

Join me in responding to God’s stirring of our hearts in the midst of tragedy and fast tomorrow; 24/02/2011.

On 'Quiet Times'...

Dallas Willard on 'quiet times'...

My main problem with “quiet time” is that I want my whole day to be quiet. I don’t go into quiet time to be something that I have and then depart from into “noisy time.” No, my main business is to make the whole day “quiet time.”

So, given the day, I may have an extended time of the study of Scripture or prayer, but that depends upon which day it is because some days, I simply can’t do that. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. There would be something wrong if on those days I took a vacation [from being with God], but I don’t do that. Jesus said He would be with us always, and that’s the center of what I try to do. I try to be with Him.

I have other periodic things like fasting. I try to fast some period of time each week and do longer fasts periodically. Then, of course, worship and all of the things that we might think about on a periodic basis, but my objective is to have the Lord always with me.

Easter is Getting Closer

Easter is getting closer which obviously means Lent is drawing to a close. If you have been abstaining from something for Lent (I've gone without any drinks other than water, no coffee, juice, fizzy, wine etc) it is tempting to start thinking 'finally, it's nearly over.' I understand the feeling! At the same time though it is important for us to remember that while we in a small way find solidarity with those who go without by choosing to go without, they don not have the luxury of simply choosing to re-engage. I'm blessed to soon be able to drink coffee again. Many do not have the choice for coffee, or milk, or coke or even access to clean drinking water. As you re-engage with whatever it is that you set aside thank God that you are able to. Thank God for his blessing on your life. Commit afresh to standing for justice in the world and on behalf of those who lack so much.

O Lord who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights; Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. The Collect from the first Sunday in Lent from an old Church of England Book of Common Prayer.

The Ancient Practices

Having already read Fasting, I have just finished reading The Liturgical Year, a second book in a series called The Ancient Practices; and I loved it!

The series is edited by Phyllis Tickle and is an 8 book series on spiritual disciplines.

“Religion, wherever it is found, is more than a system of untethered beliefs. Rather, it is an intricate, interlocking lacework of physical laws, intellectual assumptions, and spiritual values that, held in common, are both the faith lived and its perpetuation,” remarks Tickle. “This series of seven volumes and an overarching introductory one is a reverent, grateful, and unabashedly Christian celebration of that heritage which has been with us from the beginning and will be with us until the end.”

The series begins with an introductory book by Brian McLaren (which I haven't read yet) and then follows with 7 books on different spiritual disciplines. Well worth reading. I'm trying to decide which one to buy next and devour?

Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices by Brian McLaren

In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson

Sabbath by Dan Allender

Fasting by Scot McKnight

Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher

Sacred Journey by Charles Foster

The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister

Tithing by Douglas LeBlanc

Why I Fast - Part 3 of 3

Today's Lenten reflection was on fasting so a good time to complete this little series.

I fast for lots of reasons, the following already mentioned...

* Fasting is an assumed biblical practice of Jesus' disciples
* Fasting is the most appropriate response to certain sacred moments we experience in life
* Fasting reminds me of how much I have
* Fasting focuses my heart on the hungry and the poor in this world
* Fasting urges me to resist consumerism, materialism, and greed
* Fasting saves me money which I can give to organisations working with people trapped in poverty
* Fasting reminds me of that which God has already spoken to me about
* Fasting is a tangible, physical, touch, taste, feel way of out working my faith (well not taste).
* Fasting is an expression of repentance, the turning from one way to another.
* Fasting affirms the reality that one cannot live by bread alone.

Here is a little more...

In life we must be prepared to give up some things if we intend to get things that are even more important. We understand this in regards to saving. The same is true in our spiritual development. Through fasting we chose to give up and focus on the pursuit of that which is more important than food. When we fast we pray and reflect and pursue God. Bodily comfort must not be allowed to soften the search for spiritual fortitude - Joan Chittister. Through fasting we embrace the reality that life is not about permanent and continual self-satisfaction. We learn to control our bodies and thus condition ourselves for control in more challenging situations. We master self-conquest and we become aware of what is truly necessary in life.

In sum...

I fast for a number of reasons. I don't always find it easy. I get hungry, but that's not really the hard part. Going without food is relatively easy. What's hard is choosing to go without food. Why am I doing this? Does it even matter, make a difference, do anything in my life? When those questions come I reflect on the many reasons that I fast. At different times different reasons stand out and I am strengthened in my resolve to follow Christ and live counter to the way of the world. It's only one way, but nevertheless it is a way in which my inner faith begins to truly be outworked in life. It aims my life in a different direction, in a Kingdom direction.

At times I'll fast longer than a single day but at present the rhythm of a regular weekly fast is significant in my life. I eat on a Wednesday and then not again till Friday. Another way of doing this could be to miss dinner on a Wednesday night through until having dinner on a Thursday night. That may be slightly less daunting.

Either way I'd encourage you to think about fasting. NOT in order to get something though, but rather as perhaps and appropriate response to something that God is doing in your life.

Why I Fast - Part 2 of 3

Appreciating that scripture points to fasting as something that Christ followers do and appreciating that as reason in itself to fast, why else would you fast? What are some rational reasons for fasting because at times (especially when you are fasting) it can often seem irrational? For me there are a number of reasons.

1. Fasting is the most appropriate response to certain sacred moments we experience in life.

Fasting is that which is done in response to a sacred moment of some sort. One experiences some sort of sacred moment (a burden for something from the Holy Spirit, conviction of the Holy Spirit, challenge of the Holy Spirit, call of the Holy Spirit and so on) and the most appropriate response is often fasting.

I’ve long felt the stirring and prompting of the Holy Spirit, in many different ways, in regards to so many in the world oppressed by injustice, trapped in poverty, dying from lack of food and clean drinking water. At the same time I’ve been greatly challenged in regards to issues of consumerism, materialism and greed in my life and in the western world. There are a number of ways in which I have responded and continue to respond to this such as changing my spending habits, adjusting my lifestyle, purchasing ethically when I need to purchase, giving more to projects and organisations that are dealing with these problems. As well as these things fasting is a natural response, especially a weekly fast. Each week I remember these issues even though I’ve moved on from the occasions where I particularly felt the Holy Spirit speak to me.

As I fast, in a small way I identify with those that are hungry and poor. In a small way I stand against consumerism and materialism. In a small way I stand against greed, gluttony and the lust of the flesh. In a big way though these issues remain on the forefront of my mind and are not forgotten as fads or ‘once upon a times.’

Scot McKnight describes three potential phases in regards to fasting.

A - Sacred moment
B - Fasting
C - Results

He describes fasting as a movement from A to B, not a movement from C to B. In other words we respond to the work of the Spirit by fasting rather than responding to needs or results we need in life and so fast in the hope of achieving them.

I have come to the conclusion about fasting; when the grievous sacred moment is neglected and instead we focus on the results, fasting becomes a manipulative device instead of a genuine Christian discipline. Scot McKnight

When people tell us they are fasting our question should be, ‘in response to what?’ rather than ‘what do you hope to get out of it?’ Scot McKnight

2. Fasting integrates the immaterial with the material.

I fast because it is a tangible, physical, touch, taste, feel way of out working my faith (well not taste). The Christian life is not simply and inner life of belief, an inner spirituality disconnected to our physical life. We are embodied beings. Prayer, faith, trust, repentance are all spiritual/physical immaterial/material realities. Fasting helps me to actually ‘live’ my faith.

Fasting is a tangible way of expressing and feeling repentance, the turning from one way to another.

Fasting is a tangible way of affirming one cannot live by bread alone.

Fasting is a tangible way of expressing hunger and thirst for God.

Fasting is a tangible way of identifying with the poor and developing God’s heart for the poor.

Fasting is a tangible way of denying the flesh and maintaining discipline, resolve, inner resolution and strength in your character.

For me, along with tithing, the practice of Sabbath, and other disciplines, fasting is a real life action, initiative, discipline, rhythm and way of living that ensures my inner convictions and Christian values and beliefs are continually established as reality in my life rather than so easily forgotten or overcome by the values of this world.

More to follow...

Why I Fast - Part 1 of 3

Lent is a traditional time for Christians to fast so I though it an appropriate time to share why I fast and hopefully encourage you to practice fasting.

Fasting is something I used to do a lot. Not long fasts, but for a couple of years I went every Tuesday without eating. After a while however I grew a little bit disillusioned with fasting. I wasn’t really sure why I was fasting or what it was supposed to achieve. My understanding was that Christians were meant to fast and that fasting would probably ‘take your relationship with God to another level’ and/or ‘bring God’s blessing and power into your life.’ This didn’t seem to be happening and I was just plain confused as to why I fasted. I stopped fasting for a few years but maintained throughout that time a real interest in fasting.

Last year after talking with a number of people about fasting and reading a couple of books on fasting, I was re-inspired to practice fasting again. Scot McKnight’s book Fasting was particularly helpful as were conversations I had with friends who were committed fasters. Since October or November last year I have been fasting regularly again; this time every Thursday. I eat on Wednesday as per normal and then not again till Friday break-fast.

This time round there are a lot more ‘whys’ surrounding that which at times feels like a crazy ‘what.’

Let’s begin with Matthew 6:16-18

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The first thing to be mindful in regards to fasting is that it is something that you do before God not before others. Fasting isn’t something that you use to emphasise your superior spirituality to that of people around you. Fasting is something personal. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk about it with other people and let others know you are fasting etc. Just make sure your not using your fasting to somehow place yourself above others or ahead of others. It just doesn’t work like that.

I’ll get more into why I fast in my next post, for now though, my first reason is that Jesus assumes his disciples will fast. In Matthew 6 Jesus talks about how is disciples are to give to the needy, pray, fast, store treasure in heaven, and not worry. All of those things are characteristics of the lives of those that follow Christ. So for me fasting is just something that Christians do. Next time we’ll get into some more of the ‘whys.’