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FASTING – A STRONG FOUNDATION (DANIEL 1:8-17)

“Fasting – a strong foundation” is the theme for our reflection. Fasting is abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance. A thing is said to be a strong foundation if it is a firm base on which a thing or other things stand. Fasting serves as a strong foundation for a believer because it enables him or her to be disciplined, faithful, steadfast and remain focused on God. We shall reflect on the facts that our faith remains uncompromised through fasting and there are benefits for fasting.

Firstly, Beloved in the Lord, fasting is a strong foundation that enables our faith to remain uncompromised even in the midst of temptations. Fasting kept the Hebrews boys, Daniel(Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego) from compromising their faith in a foreign land where they were part of the privileged. “Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favour and compassion to Daniel… Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,  “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink…”(Daniel 1:8-9, 11-12). Fasting was a strong spiritual foundation that enabled Daniel and his friends to remain faithful to God in the midst of the temptation to consume royal food and wine. How many of us are faithful to God through the spiritual exercise of fasting? How many of us will forgo all the first-class treatments, pomp and pageantry for the sake of our faith and our faithfulness to God? Fasting serves as a strong foundation to enable us to remain steadfast and disciplined even when worldly standards are overwhelmingly being imposed on us. Fasting helps us to focus on prayer and Bible study and to constantly remind ourselves that although we are in the world, we are not of the world. Paul admonishes us, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2) Fasting becomes the strong foundation that enables us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God and not conform to the standards of the world.

Secondly, when we remain faithful to God through fasting, His favour will rest upon us and we shall be strengthened and endowed with wisdom and other blessings that will bring us both spiritual and physical nourishment and fulfilment. We are told that “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. ¹⁶ So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. ¹⁷ To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (Daniel 1:15-17). In other words, there are benefits in fasting or maintaining a strong spiritual foundation and relationship with God.

In summary, we have meditated on the theme “Fasting strong foundation. In our reflection, we have discovered that our faith remains uncompromised through fasting and there are benefits for fasting. Shalom.

PRAYER
1. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to enable us to build a strong foundation of fasting to better equip our spiritual lives.
2. Let us pray to be strengthened to overcome temptations through fasting, prayer and Bible studies.
3. Let us pray that worldly standards shall not compromise our strong foundation and zeal for the Lord.

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to build a strong foundation and may our fasting yield immeasurable results and benefits in our lives. Amen.