| Why would we fast? Why would we take time to pray, perhaps underperform in some ways while we are slowed down and hungry? What gain do we get for our trouble? The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote, in response to a similar question: “…look at the mower in the summer’s day, with so much to cut down ere the sun sets. He pauses in his labor– is he a sluggard? He looks for his stone, and begins to draw it up and down his scythe, with rink-atink, rink-atink, rink-atink. Is that idle music– is he wasting precious moments? How much he might have mowed while he has been ringing out those notes on his scythe? But he is sharpening his tool, and he will do far more when once again he gives his strength to those long sweeps which lay the grass prostrate in rows before him.” Basically, we can do more when we take time to sharpen the tool with which we are working. It makes sense in a work context–but what about a life context? What sharpens the spiritual life? Fasting is the tool that sharpens us, it sharpens the “tool” that we move through life with–ourselves. In other words, we become more as we pause; we become greater as we become a little less for a little bit. What is fasting? Fasting is the act of “going without,” primarily going without food for a specified time in order to create the space for God to speak and move in fresh ways. I hope you will, similarly, create the space to join Mosaic Church’s annual fall fast, coming up September 9-11. Our focus this year will be on the Fruit of the Spirit, from Galatians 5:22-23. We will be sending out daily video devotionals, and culminate the week with a special night of prayer and worship at both Austin campuses from 6 – 8 p.m….and it’s going to be a little different this year. From 6 – 7 p.m., we will have a guided time of “listening prayer,” where we just make space for God to speak to us. This will happen in our Student Center (12116 Jekel Cir.) at our North campus, and in the Student Ministry Room (accessible through the Commons) at our South campus. During this hour at Mosaic North, there are slots to sign up for both prophetic prayer and healing prayer from members of our Prayer team. If you would like to be prayed for in either of these ways at our North campus, in a smaller setting, you can register here. From 7 – 8 p.m., in the worship center, there will be a special service of singing, praying, and receiving communion together to conclude the fast. Childcare is provided at both campuses if you register, and at our South campus only, there will be a special “mKids Night of Worship” for ages K-5. Additionally, you can join our weekly Friday morning prayer call at 7 a.m. on Zoom. I’m looking forward to crying out to God for more of His Spirit in our church and lives, so that we would look more and more like Him. For His Glory, Morgan |
