“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Timothy 1:17)
Prepared by Patrick J. Griffiths
There is always a tendency to see such actions as praying and fasting as intrinsically meritorious. Such is the latent danger within any discipline. Legalism (i.e. “acts or attitudes designed to merit favor before God”) works contrary to grace (i.e. “favor without merit”). If we allow the devil to have his way we work from a performance base for acceptance before God. If we understand God’s way, we work from a position base for acceptance before God. If we are not cautious and careful what is to be an act of devotion, celebration and worship becomes duty, crushing and weighty.
How do we guard against this insidious threat? First and foremost is to remember to whom such acts of worship and devotion are directed. God is the object of our praying and fasting as are our acts of church attendance, financial gifting, ministry, mercy, love, etc.
The one to whom we pray and before whom we fast is none other than “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God.” All of our acts are simply means of worshipping the king. God is the one from whom, through whom and to whom are all things (Col. 1:16). He is the one whose presence and being permeate all things created (Col. 1:17). His essence is heaven’s expanse (2 Chron. 2:6). The Tri-unity of God is immeasurable and unfathomable. He cannot be sounded out (Rom. 11:33-36).
I worship God, I honor God, I glorify God by turning to Him in prayer. I declare my utter dependency on Him by calling out to Him. My cries are ones of affection and desperation (The Psalms). Apart from Him I can do nothing (John 15:5).
When I fast I declare Him to be enough. He is better than anything created . . . including food, convenience, time and life itself. I affirm through the fast His ownership of all I own. He has ultimate and final “right”. He has the right to give and remove anything I have owned, currently own or will own (Job 1:20-22). The fast reminds me of this.
Friend, let us use this season to perhaps reenter the Story. Let us declare openly and publically His authorship and our dependency on Him.
