Day 14! Which means it's Sunday, and that I have one week left of fasting.
The sermon today at my church was absolutely amazing, and all about prayer- so I completely recommend it later.
For today's post, I wanted to use the scripture we used today at church, but take it a slightly different way.
So, here's the scripture; be sure especially to pay attention to the middle part, which is a story:
Luke 11:1-10
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day out daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation."
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him as midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anthing.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs."
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks recieves; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Ok. So, let's tear up the story he tells. A man comes to his friend in the middle of the night for assistance helping his other friend-
Right there. What does that say? He's coming forward not about himself, but about his friend. Jesus tells his disciples how to pray for themselves, and secondly, how to come forward and ask for things for their others in need that they cannot provide for them by themselves.
But secondly, the timing isn't right. The man inside at first says no, it's late. I'm not getting up. But then Jesus continues, saying that the man would not get up because it was his friend, but he would because of his boldness. In Hebrew the word for boldness here is more of persistance. And hey, if a man kept knocking at my window begging me for something I had, I'd eventually get up.
He goes on to tell his disciples directly, "he who seeks finds."
He's telling his disciples to come to the Lord for any needs. A prayer isn't a prayer if you arn't bringing it to God. Seek God out. How many times have you told someone you'd pray for them, but then later didn't seek God out?
And secondly, Jesus is saying to be persistant.
Sometimes, a one-shot prayer isn't convincing enough that we need. If we say it once, and then forget and go about our way, it doesn't show much. But if we are persistant, if we fast and pray the same prayers over, that is when we start to be able to hear God, and listen and understand.
And so, I've discovered another reason for fasting- to show your persistance to God. I've never done such a long term fast this intense before, and it's really been good so far. I feel more committed to God than I have for a long time; possibly since I first came to Christ as a relationship my freshman year of college. And that's awesome.
day 14- apple, tomato soup, really good thai style stir fried veggies and pinapple.
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