As John Wesley was starting the Methodist Movement and preparing his preachers to go out into the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ, he felt there were a few things that were necessary in order to be prepared to fulfill that mission. He placed several requirements on his preachers to make sure they were sound in their theology and faith, and physically ready to meet the demands of living as an itinerant preacher. One of the requirements that was most important to him was the spiritual discipline of fasting.
Wesley required his preachers to fast together every Wednesday and Friday. They would not eat from sun down the night before until tea time the next day. They could have coffee, water, or broth, but no food. For many of us today, this sounds like torture. In a nation that focuses so much on the value meal, large portions, and all you can eat buffets, the notion of fasting seems like a foreign and outdated concept.
However, for Wesley and his preachers, the value of fasting was not found in the health benefits. That might be a side effect, but that was not the primary purpose. It also was not about intentionally trying to make themselves suffer so they could feel closer to the suffering of Christ. Instead, it was all about obedience to God. Wesley believed that fasting will force us to draw closer to God and be more obedient to God’s will than we are to anything else in this world, including our stomachs. He believed that it was possible to pray without fasting, but it was impossible to fast without praying.
Many Christians choose to give something up for the season of Lent. For some, it is a true fast from food on certain days. For others, it might be giving up something like caffeine or sweets. If you chose to do that this Lenten season, I hope your focus will not be on the suffering that whatever you are fasting from is causing you. Instead, let your focus be on obedience to God’s will over obedience to whatever you have given up. Use this season as an opportunity to pray, grow close to God, and listen for God’s voice speaking to you.
If you haven’t given anything up for Lent, it is never too late to choose a fast of some kind. It could be a fast like Wesley’s preachers did, or it could be something as simple as giving up gossiping. But whatever it is, let it be something that truly helps you prioritize your life in the way God would want it to be.
Rev. Josh Attaway, Edmond Campus Pastor
