Fasting (what it is, continued)

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:16-18

We began by considering what fasting is not. Last time we began our consideration of what fasting is. This time I’d like to share some thoughts on fasting that I learned from John Piper in his book, “A Hunger For God.” The big ticket idea that struck me most is the concept that fasting is a means by which we cultivate a greater hunger for God. The thinking goes like this: "Did your mother ever warn you not to eat snacks (especially sweets) before dinner because the sweets would cause you to lose your appetite for dinner? Mine did.

Based on that analogy, Piper contends that our appetites for the things of the Spirit are adversely affected by the fact that we nibble too much at the world’s buffet table of the flesh. One remedy is fasting. By saying “No” to the fleshly delights that we are so often allured by, and instead training our tastes for the things of the Spirit, our appetite for the things of the Spirit will increase.

Piper brings up a companion thought on fasting found in Isaiah 58. The Lord scolds His people for their disciplined commitment to fasting (not eating), while not investing their time and effort in doing what is good and right. In other words, fasting is not merely “not doing this or that” (e.g., eating). It is also about doing good. So to make the most out of fasting, substitute prayer, Bible reading, or some charitable activity for what you are abstaining from. The result will almost surely be growth of our appetite for the things of the Spirit—an increased hunger for God. Reading Piper’s, “A Hunger for God,” will be rewarding.

Next time: A warning about fasting to be seen.