I am always amazed at the event called 30 hour famine and what it can do for myself and for students.  Fasting is always something that brings out something in every student.  Sometimes it is frustration, anger and fear, other times it is joy and recognition of God and other times it is thinking and acting on a desire to help others in this world.

This weekend was the first time many of the students I work with have done anything like this.  For many of them it was a stretch, for their faith and their understanding of the world around them.  I am always fascinated by the different reactions.  Some students get whiny and just want food.  They complain and get testy with everyone around them.  Some students take it in stride and really enjoy the time they can spend in God’s word through prayer and fasting.  The thing I see most often during this event is an understanding of how well there families are doing by comparison.  This hunger is something that will be gone in a short time. They can go to a restaurant and eat until their hearts content. Which is what we did at an all you can eat place.  They learn of the Goodness of God in their lives and start the process of thinking about others out there who are in need.  If for some of the students this weekend they started to think about others this was a great success in my book.  But for me their was another moment that impacted me most this weekend and it was after we were done fasting.

After 30 hours of not eating anything and just drinking water this year I was very hungry when we went to break the fast.  I did something I told all the students not to do. I ate myself sick.  I was sitting their thinking wow I don’t feel good. Before I was hungry and I was thinking about how I rely on God to provide what I need. When I did break the fast I went in the other extreme. I took so much I made myself sick.  As  Christian man I think this is all to easy for us to do.  We go without then we over do it.  In my spiritual life I think I do the same thing I go from one extreme to the other. I can go from all bible study all the time but never living out my faith.  Other times I spend all my time serving and never being in relationship with God.  Both extremes are bad choices.  My question for is is how is your walk with Jesus going? Are you in prayer and fasting but also seeking ways to serve those around you?  I pray that we are people who balance well faith and action.

in Christ,

Steve