I’m sure many of us have had quite the first week since Lent began! We pray that the Lord has been meeting you where you are as you draw closer by denying your flesh for the greatest good of your soul.
This week we want you to see how fasting is used in tandem with purposeful and humble repentance. In the Bible we see multiple times where fasting comes from a repentant heart. A heart that sees the wrong they committed against a holy God.
“So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.”
1 Samuel 7:6 (ESV)
“And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.””
1 Kings 21:27-29 (ESV)
The people of God were moved by their godly sorrow and expressed it in the most humble way. Denying their flesh physically to show how their hearts felt inwardly. Turning from everything to turn to the Lord God in earnest and repentant prayer.
What I want to challenge us to do this week is to run faster to the Lord when we fail. We are not perfect but we have a perfect and great high priest. In Jesus alone is where we’ll find the grace and strength needed for living as children of God. Keep the Good News center as you enter your time of prayer and fasting. God the Father sent His Son to bear your sins on the cross and has sent the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
Do not let the sin you need to repent keep you back from going to the throne of grace. The Lord who gave you unlimited access to all of His office hours awaits. He beckons us to come and repent, to come and rest in the gift we have been given in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Scriptures to Encourage You:
2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)
1 John 1:7-10 (ESV)
Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV)
Psalm 103:10-14 (ESV)
