Fasting in Jesus' Absence
Seems pretty clear, doesn't it?
Luke 2:18-28
When you think about it, what Jesus says about his disciples not fasting is kind of interesting. You might think that to be holiest of holy, his disciples would certainly fast. Maybe even a meal a week or a day a week or something, right? He calls them to pray, to heal, to serve. But he gives good reason for which they do not fast.
But then, we also see that his point seems to be that Jesus’ disciples wouldn’t fast while he’s with them, but will when he’s not.
Oops.
Luke 2:18-28
John’s disciples and the Pharisees had a habit of fasting. Some people asked Jesus, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but yours don’t?”
Jesus said, “The wedding guests can’t fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they can’t fast. But the days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
“No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth on old clothes; otherwise, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and makes a worse tear. No one pours new wine into old leather wineskins; otherwise, the wine would burst the wineskins and the wine would be lost and the wineskins destroyed. But new wine is for new wineskins.”
Jesus went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath. As the disciples made their way, they were picking the heads of wheat. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! Why are they breaking the Sabbath law?”
He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he was in need, when he and those with him were hungry? During the time when Abiathar was high priest, David went into God’s house and ate the bread of the presence, which only the priests were allowed to eat. He also gave bread to those who were with him.” Then he said, “The Sabbath was created for humans; humans weren’t created for the Sabbath. This is why the Human One is Lord even over the Sabbath.”
Prayer
God,
I’m terrible at fasting. You know this. I’m sure it’s related to my privilege, my full belly, and general lack of need. I’m just being honest.
I’m not sure what else to say, God. I’m convinced that Christians should fast. And I know I rarely do. So help me, God: Convict me of the practice. Call me further to it.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.