The Means of Grace by Thompson Andrew C

Author:Thompson, Andrew C.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vearsa
Published: 2015-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Fasting

SOMETIME AFTER THEIR RETURN FROM THE Babylonian exile, there arose among the Jewish people a prophet named Joel. The collection of his prophecies makes up one of the smaller books of the Old Testament. It is remarkable, though, for a particular theme that Joel focused upon: “the day of the LORD.” The way that Joel talked about the day of the Lord made it clear that this cataclysmic event would involve God’s judgment upon all the peoples of the world. And that judgment may indeed be harsh. “Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming,” Joel preached. “It is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!” (Joel 2:1–2). Clearly this isn’t the kind of message that would bring a smile to your face if you happened to hear it firsthand.

Though he offered strong words of judgment through his preaching, Joel also said that punishment when the day of the Lord arrives is not inevitable. “ ‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments’ ” (Joel 2:12–13). Because God is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love, he will offer forgiveness if he finds true sorrow and repentance among his people.

Along with the weeping and mourning that Joel mentioned when he was talking about repentance, notice the activity he mentioned right alongside them. It’s fasting. Fasting, that most unfashionable of spiritual practices, is given as a core element of true repentance before God. As we’ll soon see, different types of fasting go far back into the biblical witness. Fasting, as it turns out, is also considered to be among the instituted means of grace in Wesleyan spirituality. So unfashionable or not, it deserves our serious consideration.

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