Categories: uncategorized
Date: 24 February 2005 13:42:35
It's a very good question. One to which I have unsatifactory answers. So I googled it, and there at results numbers four and five was this: Giving up sex for lent! Amazing.
So why fast?
This is what I have decided.
To humble ourselves, to repent, to pray, and seek God's face and heartbeat.
To put God in the centre, and make him the focus of our lives.
To break the hold of the things to which we turn for purpose and meaning, the 'God substitutes' in our lives.
This site lists reasons people in the bible fasted, and there's a bunch of references down the end so you can work out what you think.
I haven't really worked out why fast 'for lent?'
Maybe to link arms with our brothers and sisters in God's family, in a joint act of focusing on God and remembering Jesus. - except that Jesus told us to eat and drink in rememberance of him.
I like the rhythm of setting aside this part of the year to reflect on Jesus' love and sacrifice.
Why fast from sex?
The bible says (1 Corinthians 7:5)
So do not deprive each other of sexual relations. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time, so they can give themselves more completely to prayer.
Time to shift the focus off myself, and onto prayer.