Community fast is the theme for our reflection. A community fast is when a group of people abstain from food, entertainment or pleasure for a period of time in fulfilment of a mutual religious obligation or purpose. We shall reflect on the fact that community fast is needed for the mutual benefit of a group of people.
Ezra was one of the leaders who led a group of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of the Lord. Cyrus the new Persian King who defeated the Babylonian empire had made the return of the exiles possible. It was during their return that Ezra declared a community fast and prayer for God’s protection and a successful journey back home. ” There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him. ” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” (Ezra 8:21-23) Beloved in the Lord a community fast is needed for the mutual benefit of a group of people. Again, we see another example of the mutual benefit of community fasts when the King of Nineveh declared a fast to be observed by the people of Nineveh. “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” (Jonah 3:7-10). Community fasts are possible when the people have reverence for God and are united in will and purpose. Community fasts can be embarked upon by a church, a society and a nation. In times of looming national disaster or in times when a community or a group of people are in distress, a community fast is greatly recommended. When COVID-19 brought havoc and untold hardship upon the world some Christian communities declared community fast and prayers. We believe God listened to our collective prayers and intervened through the gift of vaccine discovery and healing. Let us not underestimate the power of community fasts and God’s intervention in our lives. God invites us to engage in community fasts and prayers when He said to the Israelites “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14). Jesus also assures us that “if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)
Dear friend, as a family, church and society, we must sometimes declare a community fast to seek the face of the Lord on our mutual challenges and issues. Africa is currently facing the challenges of bad leadership and governance, injustice and economic hardship, diseases and hunger. As individual nations and as a continent we need to fast and pray in the spirit of ecumenism. Some people may not be adversely affected by the challenges that have bedevilled a community or nation but that does not exempt them from actively participating in a community fast. Community fast is done out of mutual interest and care for one another and our mutual survival and interdependence. We must eschew the cliche of “everyone for himself, God for us all.” In a communal fast we carry each other’s burden in prayer, intercede on behalf of one another and pray for our community, nation and our shared desires or aspirations.
In summary, we have delibrated on the theme “Community fast” We have learned that community fast is needed or is essential for the mutual benefit of a group of people. Shalom.
PRAYER
1. Let us pray for the spirit of unity to be able to appreciate the importance of community fast in our church and society.
2. Let us pray for God’s intervention in our church and society when we come together to seek His face through community fasts and prayers.
3. Let us pray for our church and nation to be protected against any form of calamity.
Almighty God, please hear our prayers whenever we come together as a family, church or society to fast and pray for our mutual protection and deliverance. Amen.
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