Daniel 1:8-20 (ESV)
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with
the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief
of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor
and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of
the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food
and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the
youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”
11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned
over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten
days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our
appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed
by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he
listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of
ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh
than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their
food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these
four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time,
when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the
eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them,
and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom
and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten
times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his
kingdom.
Fasting is a practice of giving up something you love, or
something you depend on, for a period of time so that you can prioritize your
relationship with God.
Fasting is a way of saying, “God, I love you more than
anything else in my life. I don’t want to be wrapped up in anything else. I want my life to come from You and You
alone, and because of that I’m going to abstain from _________, to remind
myself that I need to depend on you and refocus on our relationship.”
We can fast from anything - food, media, technology. Probably best if it isn’t homework, showering
or chores! Most often people choose to
fast from foods, especially during the season of Lent. Sometimes a food fast is
for a specific amount of time from all food or meals – other times is can be
foregoing specific kinds of food for a period of time. But what’s most important about a fast is NOT
what’s being abstained from and more the heart behind what’s motivating the
fast. We don’t fast from food to lose
weight, and we shouldn’t fast just because other people are doing it. A fast isn’t truly a fast when it’s not
driven by a personal desire to grow closer to God. Without that motivation, fasting is nothing
more than a poorly planned (and often poorly executed) diet.
Daniel 1 tells a great story about some guys that fasted as
a way of proving that God’s ideas were better than their king’s (a guy named
Nebuchadnezzar). Read this story today and notice how God blessed these guys
for the approach they took to a difficult situation.
Disclaimer: This story should show the mentality we should
have when we fast. Fasting from certain things won’t make you bigger, better,
faster, or stronger. We fast so that God
can be made greater in our lives, and that’s exactly what happens in today’s
passage!
Dear Lord, we pray that we would strive to make You greater
in our life. When we fast help us to do
it because out heart wants to not because those around us are doing it. In the
Name of Jesus, Amen.
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