The Passion of Fasting
(Matthew 4:1-4) 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted to by devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, It is written, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, thrown Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold angels came and ministered to Him.
Fasting is an expression of passion. It is an expression of a lovesick heart as we cry out to the Lord saying, “Lord, you are our Great Reward! You are our Sustainer! You are our Magnificent Obsession! You alone have the words of life!”
In Jesus’ season of fasting, the enemy tried to make Jesus question His identity as a Beloved Son. Satan said, “If you are the Son…”
But Jesus, being rooted and grounded in the delight of His Father, and fully secure in His place as the Son of the Father’s love, was not shaken. Jesus didn’t fast to earn His Father’s love, He fasted because He was living out of the overflow of His Father’s love.
Similarly, we don’t fast in order to get God to love us more. God’s love is already flowing passionately and eternally for us. Rather, we fast in order to position ourselves to become more aware and to experience God’s love in a deeper way.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, stir up the passion of my heart for Jesus. Help me to become more aware of the Love of God. Keep me as the apple of Your eye, and hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Speak your words of affection and affirmation over me.
