Dieting for Jesus...

Okay, I admit that the title is glib, and that all of you are now completely disgusted.

Actually, here's the thing, I've been in the middle of this real wild season of life. The middle of crazy spiritual attack - things I would have never wanted or desired. (Not that anyone particularly wants to suddenly find themselves in the middle of intense spiritual warfare.) I've been waiting on God for direction for next steps. I've been slowly building relationships with a number of girls in the youth group God has placed me in a role of leadership in for this season. I've been fighting fear in many shapes and forms - a resurgence of things I thought long gone from my life. I haven't been doing much sleeping, between the God dreams, the nightmares, and the nights where sleep simply won't come and stay, so I wake every hour or two, fully awake, and with difficulty falling back to sleep.

I was at Marty and Kari's place over the weekend, and we talked and prayed about direction. I felt peace, quietness, rest, begin to seep in and fill the places that were so achingly uncertain. I left their home with those things somewhat restored in my heart.

Then I nearly had the accident on the way home.

It made for an interesting experience.

So, you're all wondering what my title is really referring to.

I woke up this morning and somehow knew that I needed to fast today. Now, what you need to understand is that fasting is a discipline I've deliberately gone out of my way to avoid participating in. I wouldn't do it to raise money (30 hour famine or the like) and I wouldn't do it for anything else either. But I got up this morning and knew that today I was going to fast.

So I did, nothing but liquids (and one lifesaver because I forgot that I was fasting, so unusual an occurrence is it!) all day.

And tonight, as I lay in the bathtub, I started thinking again about this whole idea of fasting. God has been working to get my attention in this area for quite a while, and I've been ignoring him equally deliberately. So I'm laying in the bath, having put down the book of sermons I'm reading just presently, and God starts to speak.

"I want you to think about your diet."
"What do you mean, my diet? I eat okay."
"All of the things you take into yourself - not just food."
"oh, well I do love to eat. About the only thing I like less than giving up food was that time I gave up novels and gossip magazines for Lent. Though that was a good experience in the long run."
"There are things in your diet, things you take into yourself that you use to hide from me, and from the things I want to do in your life."
"..."

Lent begins next week. Historically, it was a time of preparation for new converts to the Christian faith. A time of intense study, fasting and prayer, leading up to their baptism on Easter Sunday. It is a time of waiting, of moving towards death, of dying to self as we remember the crucifixion on Good Friday, of laying in the shrouds of death on the Saturday, and rising to a new and glorious life with the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Before I left Marty and Kari's they prayed for me. Many things, but among them that direction would come for this season of life.

I strongly believe that God has called me to submit my "diet" to Him for this season of lent. I sense him asking me to fast, in two specific ways, to give up two things I use to hide from the more painful or scary realities of life. So, I'm not going to eat on Mondays from now until Easter. I'm also not going to read any novels or gossip magazines during the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Beyond that, I sense God asking me to choose carefully those things that I take into myself. To make careful and conscious choices about the things I watch, listen to, read, and partake of.

Pray for me.

To be honest, it's a terrifying concept to commit to these things. Particularly on the heels of this season of intensity so strong I've often felt the need for the escape provided in food or in fictional pursuits.

But I want God, ever more deeply, and am willing to give this a shot if that's what it takes.

I covet your prayers in this season. Pray that I will find myself clinging to God my shield. That I will clearly hear the voice of the father speaking to me.

As I was meditating and praying tonight, I was listening to Jason Upton, and the following lyrics grabbed me as strongly appropriate given this season of life.

In the Silence
Tired of telling you you have me
When I know you really don’t
Tired of telling you I’ll follow
When I know I really won’t
Cause I’d rather stand here speechless
With no great words to say
If my silence is more truthful
And my ears can hear how to walk in your
way

In the silence
You are speaking
In the quiet I can feel the fire
And it’s burning, burning deeply
Burning all it is that you desire to be silent, in me

Oh Jesus can you hear me?
My soul is screaming out
And my broken will cries teach me
What your Kingdom’s all about
Unite my heart to fear you,
To fear you’re holy name
And create a life of worship
In the spirit and truth of your loving ways

© 2002 Jason Upton & Key of David Ministries. All rights reserved