Tuesday: A Day to Fast

I must confess this is the first morning I have gotten up, looked at the Called to Become calendar, and thought "what were Mike and I thinking?"

I did a juice fast/ cleanse a few months ago and it was a most unpleasant experience. I quickly realized that if I wanted my marriage and ministry to survive, I needed my daily bread. Mike and Abby can both testify to this truth: without food, I am most unpleasant.

So this morning we arrive at one of the tasks that I have been most dreading. Today is the day we fast from food during the daylight hours.

I will warn you, this might be more difficult than you anticipate. For instance, this morning I fed Blake her morning cereal. Typically we share a bowl with this routine, she gets a bite and I get a bite.  This morning that was a one way street, Blake got all the bites. I swear it seemed as if each cereal flake was calling out my name. Honestly, I almost broke the fast only an hour into it over Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It's going to be a long day.

Fasting is about the denial of self. Fasting teaches me that although my body wants food, the truth is that I can go a day without food to concentrate on prayer and self control. Fasting teaches me that I am more than my simple wants and needs, I am bigger than these things.

It is an important lesson for each of us to learn as we begin this process of the next chapter in University's story. Fasting today will teach each of us that we are more than simple wants and needs. Each of us comes into church with many personal wants and needs. There will be times when those needs and wants will be met and there will be times that our personal needs and wants will be sacrificed for a greater story.

Today we are all reminded, we are bigger than our wants and needs.

Today with every stomach growl and hunger urge, remind yourself that you are bigger than your own personal wants and needs, and then follow that reminder with a prayer for our church.