My library card has been getting a great work out the past few months from books on baking and cooking to bilingual books for my little one to these awesome devotionals and more. Yay public library! A few weeks ago Fasting: Spiritual Freedom Beyond Our Appetite by Lynne M. Baab caught my eye from its shelf space and it made its way home with me in my book bag.
“You are blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God” – Matthew 5:6, The Message
I am not a huge fan of The Message bible translation, more of an NIV gal myself, but this seems pretty fitting for the overall tone of the book, which is probably why Baab strategically placed it on the back cover. It has been an interesting read and covered a few topics that I first found out of place in a book about fasting, such as eating disorders and dieting. Thankfully, eating disorders has never been an issue for me but I know people that it has been.
When I think of fasting, part of me reverts back to my upbringing as a Mormon where we fasted most Sunday breakfasts because that was what you were suppose to do. I never knew of a purpose like closeness to God through it or a relationship for that matter until I became a Christian. I know fasting can be from anything – your morning lattes to music to your favorite TV show, whatever works for you. My brain always goes straight to food.
No one likes to be hungry but there is an unexplainable freedom in fasting that overcomes hunger. Yes, we do need food but “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV).
Baab scatters people’s reasons for fasting throughout the pages from a college student to a seventy year old retired teacher. There are a lot of views and interesting aspects I never thought of. Turning the pages of people’s stories and bible verses, I found myself disheartened at how far from God I get and how easy our culture makes it. I absolutely agree with Baab’s statement “our addiction to filling space and our discomfort with truth make the discipline of fasting challenging.” My conviction: more space filled with GOD less of everything else.