The Food Fast
Week 14 Day 5

The food fast is the one we think of mostly. Looking back to the time of Jesus, life revolved around food. Jobs were to grow/produce food for the household and community. People didn’t go to the supermarket or the drive through. Food was a huge affair and had an incredibly different importance than what we feel towards it today. So food fasts in this time was absolutely huge. The hard work days, and travel made the food fast a serious thing to give up, and was really the only luxury to give up. Obviously our bodies drive for food is one we can understand in that time and now, which is why the food fast is so powerful.

There is a complete food fast where you only drink water, or a Daniel fast where he only at fruits and vegetables, or other fasts where you can give up certain kinds of food. But when our earthly bodies are steering towards needing something earthly, it can be used as a signal to go to God to be filled. And every time this happens it is just a constant reminder to reconnect, and we begin to stay in a much more constant relation with our God.

Reflection Questions
1. What are some kinds of food fasts? Which ones would be a good fit for you to start/or do next?
2. Why is the fact that food was a luxury important in the idea of fasting?
3. What is the point of hunger in a fast?

Take the Next Step
It is funny to think about how much of our day revolves around food. Imagine if this much of our day revolved around God, and thus is the point of fasting. May we use our earthly drive of hunger or desire as a redirection to connect with God more constantly in our day. Giving up one luxury and putting that energy into our relationship with the Most High is well worth the effort.