Fasting

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The law of the fast


We have a movie at home called – “Out of the Mouth of Babes”. It’s a great video where someone asked children gospel questions, and kids answer the questions. There are some funny answers that the kids give.

For example, on one question, they said to a 5 year old,
“Who is joseph Smith?” He looked kind of embarrassed, “I don’t know…”
Then they asked,
“What is a Mormon?” He looked embarrassed again, “I don’t know”
Then they asked
“Where did the Book of Mormon come from?” He said, “I don’t know.”
Then the interviewer asked him something he did know the answer to. “Who taught you all these things?” He replied, “My Dad.”

Another question they asked an eight year old, “Do you know why you Fast on Fast Sunday?” He said, “I don’t know, it just makes me hungry.”

Unfortunately this little boy is not the only one who feels this way about Fast Sunday. I can remember when my Dad was Bishop, and we always had to wait for him to finish interviews on Sunday afternoon before we could break our fast. I remember once he was late, as usual, and we had all been sitting around the table waiting for him to come. Suddenly the phone rang. Mom answered the phone, and it was Dad calling from the Church. He told us that he had one more interview to go, and that if we would wait to have prayer so he could join us, that he would bring us each home a piece of candy. We all groaned, but I remember Blaine moaning the loudest – “It’s not worth it!”

Everyone gets hungry when they fast. But that’s not a bad thing. There are reasons why we sacrifice food and drink for 2 meals.

In Isaiah 58 it gives 6 reasons why we fast:

6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the abands• of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go bfree, and that ye break every yoke?
So first reason, is We fast because it helps us break our bad habits, and to become free from our sins that hold us bound.

7Is it not… (meaning the Fast) Is it not to deal thy bread to the ahungry, and that thou bring the bpoor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from cthine• own flesh?
Second, We fast to give food to the hungry, clothes to the naked. We do this by sharing fast offerings so that the Bishop can feed and clothe those who are needy.
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8¶ Then (that is, when you fast) shall thy alight break forth as the morning, and thine bhealth shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy crereward•.
Third, We fast to help us feel the spirit of the Lord more

9Then shalt thou acall•, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the bputting• forth of the finger, and speaking vanity
Fourth, We fast so that our prayers will be more effective. If we have special needs – we fast so that the Lord will answer them…and so that we will be able to know the answer… When we have loved ones who are in pain, or who suffer, we pray and fast for them.

11And (when you fast) the LORD shall aguide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in bdrought, and cmake• fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a dspring of water, whose waters fail not.
Fifth, We fast so the Lord will guide us in our daily lives more perfectly. In other words we can listen and understand what he teaches us more.

12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in
6th, We fast to bless our families.

Every spiritual thing we do and feel is impacted when we fast. Our spiritual awareness grows. Our faith in our prayers grows. Our ability to shake off the vices that hold us down grows.

One other thing that Isaiah teaches us about fasting, is our ability to find joy and happiness increases.

3 ¶ Behold, in the day of your bfast ye find cpleasure, and dexact• all your labours

In Zachariah 8 the Lord says,

19Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast… shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace”

And finally he said in our day through the Prophet Joseph Smith,

13And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy afasting• may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy bjoy may be full.

14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.
15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with athanksgiving, with bcheerful• chearts• and countenances, not with dmuch• elaughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—
16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the afulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

I hope that we will always try and fast so that we get more than hungry – but so that we can reap the real blessings that come to all who fast with real intent.

Amen…