Calling Our Nation to Fast and Pray

In nine days the Lenten season begins. Lent (the forty days prior to Easter excluding Sundays) is celebrated by different denominations in very different ways. Some denominations place a great importance on this period, and others hardly even mention it.

This year, the Millennium year, many Christians are realizing the need to ask God for His blessings during this time. Churches and Christian organizations are calling for a period of fasting and prayer for our nation and world evangelization during Lent. Could it be that God would call some of us to fast and pray? For our world? For our nation? For our universities?

When you mention the topic of fasting, some become very uneasy. "What, do without food? You must be crazy." But there are many benefits to giving up one of God's blessings so that we can concentrate on our greatest blessing - our relationship with Him.

Although fasting usually means abstaining from food, that is not the only way to fast. A good friend fasted recently from "sports" because he saw it as something that was distracting him from God. Another friend of ours "fasted" from television for 40 days and she said it was the hardest and best thing she ever did.

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of fasting? How long should you fast? How do you prepare for a fast? What are the physical results? How do you end a fast?

These questions and many more are answered in the very helpful website called "Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer." Check it out at: www.ccci.org/howtofast/. Maybe this Lenten season would be a time God would ask you to set aside a special time to fast and pray.

Scripture: Joel 1:14 - "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."

Action Point: Pray about this season of Lent and how you might devote yourself to praying for your students, colleagues, pastor, leaders and a world in need of a Savior.

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