“Remain Rooted In Jesus Christ!”

“Remain Rooted In Jesus Christ!”
Some people could not understand why Jesus’ disciples were not fasting whereas those of John and the Pharisees were. They asked to know why and Jesus took the opportunity to tell them why fasting was not a sine qua non in his presence. Fasting is a religious practice for inner spiritual strengthening aimed at putting one right with God.
In response Jesus considered himself as a bridegroom. A wedding is a joyous occasion characterised by wining and dining. Imagine therefore that guests of the bridegroom come to the wedding feast and decide to fast.
Jesus is the bridegroom and any believer who has truly come to his presence does not need rituals to be put right with God. Being with Jesus is being with God.
What is usually achieved through fasting is what is found in Jesus.
Change may be the only constant, but it is usually difficult to accept change because it is quite often out of norm. In Jesus the old order changes and make way for the new. The renewal brought by Jesus should not be yoked to the old Jewish religious order. One can fast for forty days, yet has no love for others. Meanwhile being renewed in Christ Jesus inspires love, truth, justice, righteousness, joy and peace.
Jesus does not however reject fasting, on the contrary he considers that fasting is necessary only when his absence is felt within us(Mk.2:18-22).
Absolute faith and trust in Jesus Christ is much more than fasting, but not undermining the importance of fasting. Spiritual renewal may be difficult to accept by those who have been accustomed to monotonous rituals as a means of spiritual edification!
The kind of fasting the Lord has chosen is “to loose the chains of injustice…to set the oppressed free…to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – and when you see the naked clothe him…”(Is.58:6ff).
Fasting is mostly to go without food and drinks. To go by Isaiah above we may have to forgo our food and drinks, in which case we have thus fasted by showing love, justice and righteousness to the oppressed and underprivileged.
Prayer: Holy Spirit enable me to accept the constant renewal of my heart by showing love in action to others. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!