Can God Fast?! Part 2

WHAT IS FASTING?

“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susan and fast for me”. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same and then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the King if I must die, I must die.”

Esther 4:16.

Fasting is generally and had aged long been believed to be "a partial or total abstinence from food or drink for a period of time". It is a deliberate act of refraining from food beyond the usual time. It is popularly seen as abstaining from food or particular kinds of food, voluntarily, especially for religious reason or for health purpose. Lexicon Webster Dictionary (1980 edition) gives an encompassing meaning to fasting and I paraphrased, “A firm or steadfast abstaining or withholding from the usual quantity of anything that gives one pleasure”. Fasting is thus beyond abstinence from food alone, it is an act of sacrificing one’s comfort for the sake of other(s). It is a cautious and conscious effort done to better the lot and lives of other; sometimes at the detriment of oneself. It is also a secular or spiritual exercise to pay special obeisance to a higher authority; laying down one’s ego in order to boost others’ goal (especially Divine’s).

Fasting is meant for mountaineers and it is mainly a waiting on the Lord for His move. It is a total or partial deviation from anything that could give nourishment or pleasure. Nourishment is the essential need of life feeding, clothing and shelter. Pleasure is the feeling derived by the enjoyment or expectation of goods. It is an attachment necessary or not necessary. Good examples of pleasure includes amusement, recreation, reading, gist, fashion chatting, joke etc. The two terms, pleasure and nourishment can be summed up this way: “Pleasure is necessary but not compulsory, while nourishment is compulsory but not necessary when fasting is involved”.

Fasting is also seen as an art of disesteeming and esteeming or devaluing and valuing. Value is the worth, merit, esteem, usefulness or importance placed on a thing or somebody over the other(s), Matthew 16:24: “Then Jesus said to the disciples. “If any of you want to be my followers, you must turn from your selfish way, take up your cross and follow Me”. Fasting is giving up of a valued thing for the sake of something else”.

In Esther 14:16, Esther instructed the Jews to fast on her behalf. The people had to embark on fasting, abstaining from food and drinks for three solid days. Esther and her maids also joined them in the fasting, but Esther went extra mile. She approached the King’s court against King’s order. The king’s order was that whosoever is to come to the King’s court must have earlier been authorized by the King. Anyone who comes to the King’s court without the King’s permission would be killed. That was why she made this confession; If I must die, I must die” She had to risk her own life for the preservation of the Jews. Esther’s act to die for her people was a type of Jesus. The only difference is that Esther risked her life only for the Jews and she was not killed; Jesus risked His life for the whole world and He was killed but He resurrected on the third day.