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By Generations Christian Church
Eric dragged me to the kitchen to make his point. He’s usually ”extra” (that’s what the kids say these days to describe someone who is overly dramatic). We were talking health and dad bod issues casually. Our back and forth jabs started over how easy it was for me to push him around during our water basketball game. It was super easy because I had 40 pounds on him. The informal chit-chat didn’t start serious. Eric is also a pastor and so, like normal, the conversation we were having was also spiritual. The two, physical and spiritual, intersect in so many places and the truth is that modern science today still can’t pinpoint the exact place or places where they connect.
The conversation was about to go to the next level. I felt like I knew the lesson already. “I’m already a believer and this isn’t necessary man,” I told him. Eric was kind of crazy so at first I went along with the object lesson because if nothing else, it would be funny. He asked me what my normal breakfast consisted of and I gave him my standard, “One cup of coffee and two pieces of toast” order. He pulled it out, prepared it and set it on the counter. It took a minute, even with a Keurig coffee maker. Yes, I wanted cream. I stared at my normal breakfast on the table and I was annoyed. It was 9PM. I don’t like “brinner” (breakfast for dinner); but that isn’t why I was annoyed. Eric wasn’t making me food to eat. He was on a mission: Show me the work-load on the most amazing machine man didn’t invent.
After taking my breakfast order he made me lunch, a dinner plate and two snacks. It was a good bit of food. Honestly, I thought it may have been lighter than my average day’s worth of food but his presentation was already gaining steam. He pushed all of the food to the corner of the table and said, “Let’s get another day’s food prepared.” I was already overwhelmed and stopped the object lesson. “I get it”, I said. “Your body is a machine that is constantly processing food, breaking it down, storing energy, exposing waste. When does it rest?” I started to picture what a weeks worth of food on that table would look like. Could I even fit it on the table? I was 35 years old. What machine that is man-made could last longer than 35 years without ever resting? It floored me. People NEVER rest!
Eric invited me to start a life pattern of physical rest through regular fasting. The idea of fasting is first recorded as Moses goes without eating for 40 days on Mount Sinai while receiving the Law from God. He didn’t need to eat because he was in the presence of God. Imagine the advancements just in the past few years in science and modern medicine. There is possibly more that we don’t know than what we have discovered so far. The concept of fasting and rest is taught over 70 times in the bible.
I tried prolonged periods of fasting and was amazed at just how long one could actually go without food and drinking water only. I’ve spent the last few years studying the impact of systematic fasting in short and long intervals. I believe that you will find physical effects and the spiritual effects are worth taking a look.
Fasting
• Start where you can. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Just skipping a meal and taking a walk outside for that time period may be the win you need!
• Drink a lot of water.
• We don’t earn points with God by fasting and it doesn’t make God hear us more.
• It’s not just for when we are sad or really want something bad from God.
• There is a biblical precedent for rest. Fasting provides margin.
• Always consult your medical doctor before making major changes in your diet or fasting.
• Fasting should be accompanied with prayer for spiritual growth.
• The time saved from all the work that surrounds food can be used during a fast to read the Bible.
Our Father in heaven has made us both physically and spiritually. He knows where these two forms connect because Psalm 139:13 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” There are so many wonderful things to experience when we follow His plan of rest both Spiritually and Physically. He made us in ways we are so far from understanding. We don’t have to understand the science to experience the benefits of following His plan for living well. Try fasting, if you’re like me, you will experience breakthrough in creativity, clarity in problems, and peace in the fast-
paced life that others will notice!
Generations Christian Church
generationscc.com | 727-375-8801
Trinity
1540 Little Rd.
Trinity, FL 34655
Spring Hill
34 Seven Hills Dr.
Spring Hill, FL 34609
Service Times:
Sat @ 6PM
Sun @ 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM