On the edge with work and
family responsibilities I spent a weekend in the northern Indiana lake
country to catch my breath, to pray and to rest.
Soon after check-in a family member called wanting
to talk about a situation of concern. Immediately, I was anxious and fearful. Looking out over the tranquil water, I asked the
Lord to guard my heart and mind for this solitary time. As a strange calm came
over me, I read in my Bible and wrote in my journal for the next few hours. Realizing
I had skipped lunch, I thought, “this is what fasting is, focusing on God
to the exclusion of everything and
everyone else.”
Jesus told us to give, pray and fast without
drawing attention to ourselves. When he talked about fasting, he didn’t tell us to do it; he assumed that we would. Mondays and
Thursdays were market days in Jesus’ time—prime days for religious hypocrites
to publicize their fasting to the crowds. Jesus said fasting should not be done for applause.
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,
who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward
you.” (Matthew 6:6) The motives of our thoughts and intentions are what matter as
we humble ourselves in prayer and praise,
thirsty for intimacy with Him alone. Then Jesus declared, “I am
the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever
believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:36)
"Steal Away to Jesus" - Michelle Williams
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