Adding by Subtracting
Another Day Along the Way
Friday, February 12, 2010
Another day,
The topic didn't put an immediate smile on my face. I could almost hear my stomach growl while planning the presentation. I wanted to pause the study, forget the subject, and drive down the road to order a pork sandwich plate. With chips. And red velvet cake.
But, I stuck to the subject. A subject discussed in Scripture and practiced through the years. A subject often misunderstood and applied improperly. A subject we need to remember and receive.
Fasting. Saying goodbye to food - or other things we normally depend upon - to invest time and dedication to prayer, intercession, petition, meditation, and devotion. Subtracting a portion of our normal routine in order to add more time with the Listener.
When hoping to help students learn, teachers have the honor of learning from their students. Our discussion regarding fasting taught me. The decisions students made revealed their passion, their willingness to pursue time with God, their dedication to Him.
We talked about giving up food, about biblical references, about historical understanding, about impure motives, about books explaining fasting, about seeking medical permission and advice, about other methods of fasting. The students made valuable decisions as they dedicated a spiritual addition through a willing subtraction of common, habitual routines.
Any guesses? Music. Text messages. Facebook. Twitter. Video games. Movies. Time with friends. And food.
Adding time with God by subtracting our routine can be healthy. It isn't seeking to improve our ranking or score religious points or lure God into action. It shouldn't take the place of caring for others. Scripture rebukes the fake effort toward religious stat sheets. Fasting is to never be seen as a means toward improving our spiritual grade. Or losing weight. But proper fasting is needed. It moves us away from what we normally do; it moves us toward a new place with a new mind and a new perspective.
So, take a little time to investigate your use of time. Subtract a little of your routine to add an experience with God. Ask. Seek. Knock. Listen. Think. Learn. Meditate. In silence, in petition, in intercession, in reverence. Removing the normal and entering the spiritual. Noticing the spiritual in the normal. Finding God in the nearby, the regular, the real. And choosing to value the importance of Him.
Give it a try.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy. (Spiritual Disciplines Handwork: Practices That Transform Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Another day,
The topic didn't put an immediate smile on my face. I could almost hear my stomach growl while planning the presentation. I wanted to pause the study, forget the subject, and drive down the road to order a pork sandwich plate. With chips. And red velvet cake.
But, I stuck to the subject. A subject discussed in Scripture and practiced through the years. A subject often misunderstood and applied improperly. A subject we need to remember and receive.
Fasting. Saying goodbye to food - or other things we normally depend upon - to invest time and dedication to prayer, intercession, petition, meditation, and devotion. Subtracting a portion of our normal routine in order to add more time with the Listener.
When hoping to help students learn, teachers have the honor of learning from their students. Our discussion regarding fasting taught me. The decisions students made revealed their passion, their willingness to pursue time with God, their dedication to Him.
We talked about giving up food, about biblical references, about historical understanding, about impure motives, about books explaining fasting, about seeking medical permission and advice, about other methods of fasting. The students made valuable decisions as they dedicated a spiritual addition through a willing subtraction of common, habitual routines.
Any guesses? Music. Text messages. Facebook. Twitter. Video games. Movies. Time with friends. And food.
Adding time with God by subtracting our routine can be healthy. It isn't seeking to improve our ranking or score religious points or lure God into action. It shouldn't take the place of caring for others. Scripture rebukes the fake effort toward religious stat sheets. Fasting is to never be seen as a means toward improving our spiritual grade. Or losing weight. But proper fasting is needed. It moves us away from what we normally do; it moves us toward a new place with a new mind and a new perspective.
So, take a little time to investigate your use of time. Subtract a little of your routine to add an experience with God. Ask. Seek. Knock. Listen. Think. Learn. Meditate. In silence, in petition, in intercession, in reverence. Removing the normal and entering the spiritual. Noticing the spiritual in the normal. Finding God in the nearby, the regular, the real. And choosing to value the importance of Him.
Give it a try.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy. (Spiritual Disciplines Handwork: Practices That Transform Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun)
18 Comments:
Chris a stirring thing to think about.I can't expect God to always do the Subtracting for Me. I need to remind Myself to Subtract Earthly, and add more God.When it comes down to it,God has always been there and provided.Even as a new born babe He took care of things that impacted my life.I have to remind myself to serve God,because He is God and Provides all I am,all I'm going to be,and all I have.Thanks Chris and God Bless.
Best ADay in along time. Heartfelt and challenging!
Thanks for that, Chris. Reading Jen Franklin's book on fasting. I want to get a copy of that book you quoted too. You have mentioned it a few times. Thanks one more time.
Oh yea, can I fast watching football since the season is over? Or should I give up something else? :-)
It's tough to embrace the notion of fasting in a "have it all right now" culture. It's one powerful way to make God something more than Sunday morning and to practice His presence.
Thanks for this reminder that "getting more" doesn't always enrich us in ways that matter.
I have personally seen fasting as one of the most difficult, but most spiritually rewarding, spiritual disciplines that can be practiced. The thought of sacrifice (whether it be meals, television, cell phone use, etc.) can make one cringe at first with a sense of feeling that they can't live without it. I once had false motives for fasting and did not take into account the main reasons TO fast. In recent times, fasting has not only allowed more connection time with God but He has rained down many blessings and has answered some deep prayers. What personally helps me in tough times during a fast is remembering the great sacrifice that Christ made for all of us, and the least we can do as Christians is to make a minor sacrifice to get closer to Him.
Loved the things that the college students fasted. Made this long-ago-college student to think about some things he is has grwn to be dependent on and what needs to decreased so He can increase.
Very, Very heartwarming and also
Challenging, my friend... Truly made
me to STOP, LOOK & LISTEN!!!
Wish I still coudl hear your remindrs like this on sunday mornings.
It is good to hear young men and women are serious about their relationship with God. Joel and i have had some good discussion on this topic and also practical application. Jentzen Franklin Has some wonderful studies on the topic of fasting.
Thanks,C man. We sure do miss your words.
One thing we need to define is the biblical definition of the word, fast, fasting etc. which is to abstain from food, to cover the mouth. anything outside of that can be defined as a sacrifice. ie. not watching tv, not listening to music. etc. although these things help with the subtracting distractions they do not however define what the bible speaks of in terms of fasting or to fast.
Fasting has never been a spiritual discipline of mine because I was never really taught how to go about it. No one I knew ever did, so why should I? It didn't seem that important. I was so blessed to be able to get a new perspective through our discussion in class. Thank you so much, Pastor Chris. (Amber Shirley)
Fasting always challenges me. It reveals my weaknesses and makes me lean on God for strength. I think I get stronger spiritually every time I do fast something: usually facebook, tv or food.
Fasting is something we tend not to think a whole lot about because of our busy schedules and selfish nature. However, the Bible speaks of our Christian duties as consisting of praying, fasting, and giving. Pastor Chris put it in a new perspective for me when he said that fasting is really addition by subtraction. When I fast, I subtract something valuable that consumes my time and instead replace it by being filled with God. My time with him is so much more crucial than things of this world. Fasting should be a routine part of our lives...and I am learning that more and more each day!
I think "fasting" is good terminology for the sacrfices that each of the sudents made. I definetely felt that God honoured the seriousness of our attitudes instead of getting it biblically defined. God is the most fulfilling desire!!!
Fasting: to let go of an appetite in order to seek God on matters of deep concern for others, myself and the world.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook – Adele Coulhan (2005, IVP)
We tend to think of fasting as going without food. But we can fast from anything. If we love music and decide to miss a concert in order to spend time with God, that is fasting. It is helpful to think of the parallel of human friendship. When friends need to be together, they will cancel all other activities in order to make that possible. There's nothing magical about fasting. It's just one way of telling God that your priority at that moment is to be alone with him, sorting out whatever is necessary, and you have canceled the meal, party, concert, or whatever else you had planned to do in order to fulfil that priority.
J. I. Packer:
http://www.founders.org/journal/fj16/interview.html
Do you have a hunger for God? If we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul's appetite for God. Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is the path of pleasant pain called fasting.
John Piper
Here is a source for good material:
http://www.renovare.us/
Thanx CMax. I appreciate your wisdom and suggestions.
R
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