Walk Fit: Walk Fastingਨਮੂਨਾ

Fasting makes room for God to reveal who you are.

There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭37‬ (‭CSB‬‬)

Who is Anna? If I had to make a list of Anna’s identity, I would start with her name, Anna. I could then move on to identify her as a woman, a prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel, a person from the tribe of Asher, and conclude my observations by noting that she was widowed at a young age. Those are the easily visible identifiers. But what about her character? Our character is embedded in our behavior. Character is what God knows about us even before we recognize it in ourselves.

Psalm 139:1-4 (NLT) says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.”

This passage tells me that God knew things about Anna that she may not have known about herself. He examined the heart of the young widow and knew that one day she would have an encounter with the Christ Child. He knew that the divine moment in the temple, when Anna saw Simeon with Mary and Joseph, would lead to her witnessing to others about Him. He saw how she dedicated herself to fasting and prayers night and day in the temple. She may not have known where a lifestyle of worship would lead, but God did. As we fast and pray, elements of our character are revealed. And as we extend our fasting and praying, our character is refined.

Fasting Focus: What character traits do you see in me?

Walk and Pray: "Lord, show me who I am." (Psalm 139:1-4)

Journal Prompt: What insights has God shown you today about your character?