It's day two of the great Daniel Fast at my church. Our pastor called for a period of fasting in order to increase our hearts for the lost. I'm sure that generations from now they'll still be talking about the sacrifice, dedication and tremendous heart of the ones who for forty days...ate nothing but fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Ok so it doesn't sound so epic but you know what its certainly harder then it sounds!
Added to that my family is fasting television and is watching limited movies. Now nobody can deny, the weight of that idol is pretty hefty no matter who you are. I think the National Average is something around 153 hours per month of tv just consumed in the home by an individual. Even though I cringe at the thought of how much productive time that wastes I know my number probably slips in towards the top of that ominous national average. What can I say? I love watching Project Runway with my Dad.
But I can already see how much change this is already bringing. My home feels like a different place. There's a serenity about it without the t.v. going or something playing in the background. I'm also finding that denying myself some cheese and meat is easier then I thought. Now my family has been on the alkaline diet, which is a Daniel Fast basically, for the last few months. So I'm used to chomping down on a few almonds rather then cooking up some nachos in the microwave.
Most importantly I'm not only seeing how many bad t.v. habits and dairy cravings I have but how little my mind is truly focused on the Lord. How quickly He is hardly a thought in my head. How easily my day is devoted to checking the labels on the back of food to see if there's any added sugar instead of remembering the goodness of God I'm giving sugar up for in the first place!
But despite my very human self focus theres also this sense of newness in the air. Like plastic being ripped from the edge of a package. Somethings being opened and I can't wait to see what God is going to do. I have a feeling I'll be telling my grand kids the story of this fast. They'll climb up on my wrinkled, old knee, chubby faces beaming asking for stories. Once again I'll tell them about the miracles that happened during a short 40 day period of my life. Its only day two and I already feel the legend manifesting in my bones. I know this fast will affect our church for a very long time. You just can't have hundreds of people sacrificing their idols and consecrating themselves to God without a fantastic movement of the Holy Spirit and the mercy of God being poured out like a river.
Something great and Holy is coming this way. I hope I'm ready to meet it.
Well said. I love the "epicness."
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