"Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him."
Daniel 6:18
The king in this verse was tricked into condemning Daniel and throwing him in the lions' den. He did his best to get out of it, but in the end, legally, he felt he had to allow them to enforce the law he had signed.
The idea of fasting as this king did is an interesting one. It seems kind of strange that giving up something in our own lives could result in gaining something external, and I think that when we consider fasting a transaction in that way, we might be missing the mark.
The king here gave up food and music and sleep, which is a sacrifice, but I think that his actions were more about focus. He gave those things up not as a transaction with God, but because his whole focus was on Daniel. Similarly, I think that God asks us to fast as an exercise in focus and dedication--giving up distractions to think and ponder and work out that one thing with God.
Today, let's think about fasting as a dedication to an idea, and talk about it with God. I think it likely that we will get farther with that kind of focus on petitioning God for his help than we will if our focus is on the food we are not eating. :)
(Oh, and in case anyone hasn't read the story, the king went early in the morning to the lions' den, and Daniel was safe. No worries. :) He had been spared by the Lord.)
Daniel 6:18
The king in this verse was tricked into condemning Daniel and throwing him in the lions' den. He did his best to get out of it, but in the end, legally, he felt he had to allow them to enforce the law he had signed.
The idea of fasting as this king did is an interesting one. It seems kind of strange that giving up something in our own lives could result in gaining something external, and I think that when we consider fasting a transaction in that way, we might be missing the mark.
The king here gave up food and music and sleep, which is a sacrifice, but I think that his actions were more about focus. He gave those things up not as a transaction with God, but because his whole focus was on Daniel. Similarly, I think that God asks us to fast as an exercise in focus and dedication--giving up distractions to think and ponder and work out that one thing with God.
Today, let's think about fasting as a dedication to an idea, and talk about it with God. I think it likely that we will get farther with that kind of focus on petitioning God for his help than we will if our focus is on the food we are not eating. :)
(Oh, and in case anyone hasn't read the story, the king went early in the morning to the lions' den, and Daniel was safe. No worries. :) He had been spared by the Lord.)
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