Disciplines From the Cross: A Holy Week Devotionalનમૂનો

Fasting

In today’s passage, we will look at John 19:28, where Jesus said, "I thirst."

Crucifixions were a brutal affair. However, as some sort of humanity and respite, the person hanging on the cross would be offered myrrh, a painkiller of sorts to help ease the pain. Jesus didn’t take it until the very end, where he said these words and drank.

What allowed Jesus to withstand such physical, emotional, and spiritual torture and still not break down? It was his life of fasting that gave him the mental strength to endure these demands. Even at his worst, most excruciating moment, separated from the Father (as we saw yesterday), he was able to withstand it. Fasting was a key part of his ministry. He began his ministry by spending 40 days in the wilderness. It was part of his life of devotion to the Lord.

In our lives, there are numerous demands on us, from work and family issues to physical and emotional needs. We are dragged from pillar to post by our emotions and by the cravings of the flesh, of our appetites and indulgences. We are slaves to them. Since we never fast, we are unable to say no to the desires of the flesh. In our worst moments, we excuse ourselves by saying we’re tired, exhausted, or we’ve had a hard day. We feel sorry for ourselves so easily. We get to a place where we want to treat ourselves and give ourselves a little bit of comfort food or comfort whatever. This is where we lose to the flesh, and this tends to happen when we are in our weakest moments. That's when all the rules are off, all bets are off, and we're ready to indulge. But Jesus, hanging on a cross, at his physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual worst because he's been separated from the Father, was strongest at his absolute worst because he fasted. He was able to focus his strength on his spiritual fight to the finish.

Appetite and indulgence never hindered the Son of God. "Oh, let me eat first." "Oh, let me rest first." "Let me do this first." It never hindered the Son of God from fulfilling his God-ordained purposes. How ironic that the living water himself was dried up for us, that the one who is the living water himself experienced thirst. Just take a moment and think about this picture: the living water dried up for us on the cross. How did he endure it? Through making it a habit in his life.

Let's make it a habit of giving up food and drink so that our spirits can seek the water of life that satisfies our soul. Let's make it a habit to fast, whether it's a meal, whether it's a day, whether it's periodic, whether it's weekly, but the habit of saying no to yourself. And when saying no to yourself becomes a habit, when we go through the worst of times, like the Lord Jesus, we will be able to draw strength from a place we didn't know existed.

Think, ponder, pray, execute.

Prayer

Father in heaven, this is not something that's going to be accomplished in the flesh. If it is so spiritual, if it is so eternal, if it is from the character of Christ himself, then we are not going to be able to pull it off ourselves. We can desire it, but we cannot pull it off ourselves. We need your Spirit to join with us in this discipline, in breaking the appetite and the strength that our body, our emotions, our thoughts have over us. And Father, I pray that we would listen to the hunger and the thirst of our spirit and, in our fasting, find food for the soul. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.