To Eat or NOT to Eat

Have you ever done a fast? I know it is tempting at this point to ask me, "Ever done a fast what? A fast walk? A fast drive to the store?" But I am talking about not eating anything for a period of time with the purpose being to seek God's face.

First, let me explain that I like to eat. I don't particularly like to cook, although I have been told I am a good cook. I do enjoy baking, especially when the peach trees and later the apple trees begin providing fresh fruit for pies. At my last physical I asked the doctor if I was overweight. "You're borderline," was her reply. That answer was given to me a year and several baking episodes ago!

I believe we are to be good stewards and that includes our physical health. I had to re-learn this the hard way, however, the year I turned 41. I awoke in the middle of the night because electrical charges were surging through my entire body. I was paralyzed and could hardly speak as I struggled to get my husband's attention. "Tom, pray for me!" I managed to eke out. I was feeling better after he prayed but felt claustrophobic under the heavy blankets, so I slept in my winter bathrobe the rest of the night.

In the morning I was still so shaken that I crawled--not walked--but crawled my way into the bathroom. As I slowly made my way along the carpet, I cried out to the Lord to help me. He spoke so clearly to me that even today I remember what He said. "Daughter, I will carry you through this phase of your life to the other side. Read Leviticus 17:11. Remember to eat a green salad every day and call Becky.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood...the first part of Leviticus 17:11 read. I was homeschooling my daughter at this time and had studied and learned much about the human body. We are only as healthy as our blood is and what we eat greatly affects our blood. When I contacted my friend Becky, a nutritionist, I learned that almost all diseases (something like 98%) stem from poor nutrition. I reached out to other brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for me and I realized a couple of things--1) We are called the Body because we need every member; and 2) My body was entering what is called 'peri-menopause' (the bumpy ride before you hit menopause).

It was during this period of concentrating on my health that I decided to give fasting a whirl. I had heard that fasting helped believers strip away the physical realm so that they can experience the spiritual realm more deeply. I already had known times of wonderful intimacy while communing with the Lord, but I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit to go deeper through fasting. So I told the Lord that I would do it for Him. After going without food and allowing myself to drink only water for a day, I arose early the next morning to seek His face. As I entered the small library room I used as my prayer closet, I saw the Lord. It was not that He had physically manifested, but I saw Him with my spiritual eyes as He stood there apparently waiting for me. It is difficult to put into words that type of encounter. I believe He always is ready to meet with us. Somehow fasting stripped away the veil of the flesh so that I could see Him more clearly.

It has been many years since that euphoric experience and I have not ever fasted (from food that is) since then. Well, there was a couple of times I had to refrain from food because of some blood work, but that doesn't count. Anyway, you can see that I mean what I say (er, write). I do enjoy discussing many subjects and have gone from early marriage and parenting to the other end of the spectrum with peri-menopause in just two postings--HA! So do feel free to jump in and drop me a line.