Routine

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them.²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
²¹ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. ²² And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Mark 2:18-22

Fasting was a sign of piety among the pharisee. There were no Mosianic laws regarding fasting, but over time fasting became a way for the Jewish leaders to express themselves outwardly. Essentially fasting became a religious act rather than the meaning we know today. In this story, Jesus goes against what fasting was established. Jesus was referring to fasting as being an outward sign of devotion to the ceremonial laws for the Pharisees. Fasting occurs in the old testament when God allows famine and disasters to occur. During hardships, the Israelites come back to God in desperation. In verse 20, Jesus talks about a time when he will no longer be with them. During that time, the people will turn to God in fasting. (this is the true meaning of why we fast). Fasting is not a sign of piety, but a sign of desperation. It's our outward expression for our need to be hungry for God. Jesus takes the original meaning of piety and replaces it with the new meaning of desperation. Hence the two cannot mix ~ New wine into an old wineskin will cause it to burst. etc...

Doing life journals lately has been difficult. Ljs has become a routine rather than personal time with God. It has become mindless, and just an expression of my devotion to God rather than me earnestly seeking his Word. I don't think or mediate on what God has been telling me, or if I have, I quickly forget his message. It's become a habit, and the only goal insight for me is to finish this month and keeping to my commitment (doing life journals everyday in October). Regardless, I know God speaks through the Word, as he has over the last several weeks I've been doing LJs, but even then I'm having a difficult time being motivated to take things seriously. I have become like the Pharasees showing my piety outwardly... My desperation for God's word is absent. Maybe it's time to take my faith further and stop being comfortable in my current place. To pray, seek and fast God earnestly...

Jesus forgive me for making this time with you a routine. To read your Words then blatantly ignoring what you have taught me by sinning. Help me to seek you earnestly with a new found desire. Change my mind of habit to a genuine desire to seek you.

In Jesus Name
Amen