As we mark one year of living under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its associated consequences–political, emotional, sociological, etc.– the Session of Redeemer Presbyterian Church has decided to call a church-wide fast on Tuesday, March 23. While Redeemer has observed congregation-wide fasts in the past, since it has been awhile we thought it would be appropriate to answer a few questions about the practice and how to take the most advantage of the day.
What exactly is fasting?
Fasting is “the self-denial of some or all food and drink as the faithful express their intense concerns to God in special times of prayer and worship.”[1] God’s people throughout the Bible fast for a number of reasons, including during times when they need God’s extraordinary help, the selection of church leaders, mourning and death, and to express humiliation and confession of sin. By fasting we “express our deep sorrow over sin, our desperate need for Christ, our longing for the renewal of the church and our intense desire to see Christ’s merciful and just kingdom spread throughout the world.”[2]
Why call a fast at this particular time?
The pandemic continues to be a destructive force in our world in many ways, and we need God’s help to continue to be faithful to him in the midst of it. In addition to the numerous deaths caused by the virus, job losses continue to mount, businesses continue to close and suffer loss, and our economy seems to be sustained (at least in large part) by massive public debt. The social consequences have also been severe. Loneliness, depression, and even drug overdose cases are at all-time highs. The pandemic has also had a direct impact on churches and the spiritual lives of Christians everywhere. On top of the many churches that will close permanently due to the pandemic (some estimate 1 in 5 nationally), our own church is still regularly missing roughly 100 people–or 20 % of our overall membership–who have not returned to public worship, which is bound to have long-term spiritual consequences for the church corporately. To borrow Paul’s analogy of the church as a body, how long could your body operate optimally without one of your eyes or one of your arms? All these are among the many reasons why we should see this as a particularly appropriate time to humble ourselves before God and seek his help.
Is fasting even appropriate for Christians?
Yes. Despite a few warnings about the potential abuse of the practice of fasting (Matthew 6:16-18), the Scriptures show us both by command and example that fasting is part of Christian worship. In addition to fasting himself at a number of points during his earthly ministry (Matthew 4:2), Jesus assumes his disciples will also fast. When asked by John the Baptist’s disciples why his own disciples did not fast, Jesus answered them by saying, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15). While Jesus is certainly present with us in this age by the Spirit, there is a real sense in which he is away from us until his return as our bridegroom on the Last Day (2 Corinthians 5:8), which makes this time a season when the bridegroom has been “taken away.” Jesus assumes that during this time of his absence, his disciples will fast.
The church’s practice throughout the years confirms the ongoing applicability of Jesus’ words. The early church practiced fasting on a number of occasions (Acts 13:3; 14:23; 2 Corinthians 11:27). Over the course of the middle ages, the church established a number of regular fasts throughout the church year, and even though the Reformation opposed certain particular fasts, it did not sweep away the practice altogether as they sought to conform the church’s practice to the Word. John Calvin said this of fasting: “[I]f either pestilence, or famine, or war begins to rage, or if any disaster seems to threaten any district and people–then also it is the duty of the pastors to urge the church to fasting, in order that by supplication the Lord’s wrath may be averted” (Institutes, IV.xii.17, p. 1243). In Geneva, public fasts were called on a number of occasions, usually during times of great physical danger (war, invasion), or lament (St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572).
Fasting is incorporated in the confessional documents of our own church as well. In the context of listing the “parts of the ordinary religious worship of God,” the Westminster Confession of Faith 21.5 points to “solemn fasting, and thanksgivings upon special occasions,” citing Joel 2:12, Esther 4:16, Matthew 9:15, and Acts 14:23 for Scriptural support.
What should the day of fasting look like?
If the practice of fasting is unfamiliar to you, please consider the following guidance as we prepare to observe the day together as a congregation.
- Remember that fasting is ultimately an act of worship offered to God, not an act of self-denial based on human wisdom about which we can feel superior (Colossians 2:20-23). Use the time ordinarily spent on food to draw near to God in prayer and worship (James 4:8).
- Plan ahead of time how you will observe the day. You may plan to fast the entire day or simply skip one meal and use that time to pray. If your health does not allow you to fast from eating, consider setting aside something else that occupies your time during the day (e.g., smart phone usage, social media, news consumption, television, etc.) and devote time otherwise spent elsewhere to worship and prayer. You may choose to forego those other activities in addition to a fast from food as well. However you choose to observe the day, we encourage you to approach the decision with thoughtfulness, solemnity, and faith.
- Plan to spend some devoted time in prayer throughout the day. Consider observing a short “liturgy” to provide some structure to your time. For example:
- Read a passage of Scripture (5 min)
- Give God thanks for the many blessings we enjoy: health, life, forgiveness of sins, the hope of the life to come, the church, our nation, etc. (10 min)
- Pray for help during this trying time: for your own sins and shortcomings he has exposed this year, for healthcare workers, for our political leaders, for the sick and dying, for those who do not know Jesus Christ, for the lonely and isolated, for increased spiritual vitality in the church, etc. Be specific and expectant as you pray. (10 min)
- Observe a time of quiet and stillness before God (10 min)
- Plan to join the rest of the congregation for worship at 7:00 p.m. to conclude the day. In addition to singing, Scripture readings, and a short sermon, we will have an extended time of corporate prayer. During the prayer portion of the service, time will be devoted for the congregation to pray along with the pastor/elder leading the prayer either aloud or silently.
[1] Richard Pratt, A Short, Practical Guide to Prayer and Fasting
[2] Ibid.