fasting and prayer

Day three of my fast. Ella has joined me in fasting from anything to drink except water. Today she is joining me in not eating, but is drinking other things besides water.

I am hoping he will answer some questions I have. My prayers tend to take a yearning quality sometimes: unspoken yearning for God’s will triumphant in my life.

I am tired of being depressed and am ready to know that I am in God’s will.

It is funny at how many times in my life I have fasted for three days and heard an answer at the end.

In 1994 when we came out of the Church of Christ, we were truly in some difficulty. What would we do? We knew we couldn’t stay in the COC, yet we didn’t know where to go. The Christian Church looked like the best bet, but we just were not sure.

I called a friend to ask him something and his daughter answered the phone. Della was her name. Della said that her father wasn’t there, but that she had a word from God for me. At the time, I really didn’t believe in words from God. I was a firm cessationist. I told her that. But then I also said, “on the other hand, I haven’t anything better lately.”

She told me that if I would fast for three day, God would answer me.

I decided to try it. It kind of frightened my family, as I sat nobly at the table at supper fasting. Ella asked what if I don’t hear anything at the end. I said, then I will eat.

At the end of the three days, a Christian church in Colorado called me. And I began my journey into something besides the COC.

For the most part, through the intervening 16 years, that has almost always been the case. If I will fast for three days, many times God will give me some kind of answer.

Not always, of course. God is not an order form, available to us any time we feel like it.

But he loves me and I know he is available.

And I fast, looking for an answer.

Hear my cry, O God. Hear me and answer me. Fill my life with your presence and your glory. Give me peace. Please, God, give me peace.