A trip to the beach will prove to you that food has become the object of our worship in the US. And no, this is not a picture of the hotsauce aisle at Publix but rather a small section of our cabinet. Our fridge is a literal condiment explosion leaving no room for real food. We are foodies and I'm embarrassed about it! You know the kind, "What should we have for dinner tonight?" . . . . at 6am!
With trillions spent in restaurants and the avg dress size up from an 8 to a 12, clearly we have misplaced our devotion. God wants our devotion, eyes on Him. That is why I am suggesting a fast for a variety of reasons. And no, it's not a diet :). I'm not much for sacrifice, but God always shows Himself faithful when fasting. I have seen God answer prayer at the very moment I've made the decision to cut out food, which of course makes me want to cheerfully skip through the rest of the fast like a field of tulips. I've seen Him answer heart wrenching prayers, change impossible situations, soften impossible people, including me; and once, I even experienced a total loss of food desire for several days - a miracle in itself. Some say that when fasting, you should pray whenever you think about food. I do that because it brings the whole food thing into perspective. It's part of 'taking every thought captive'; it's intentional, not manipulative. It's not like we're going to die of starvation, but it shows that we are relying on God for the strength and wisdom we need. According to Matt 17:21, some moves of God just require prayer and fasting. Jesus fasted, overcoming Satan himself and was strengthened from it. Fasting can also strengthen us for something later, something more critical. God already knows what's around the bend! And bonus? Prayers are answered. Of course, you can apply a fast to more than just food; Twitter, FB, the internet . . . and spend time with God instead.
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