“Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” Jonah 2: 9-9
One of the things I love about fasting is the way it reveals to me the things I can’t live without. If you’ve ever tried it, you’ll know that it’s not hard to fast from something you hate. Try announcing to people that you are “fasting from eating bugs.” They’ll think you’re crazy.
About 10 years ago, when I was a student in university, I found that I was playing too many video games and not studying enough. So I decided to go on a one month fast from gaming. For those of you who don’t have a problem playing video games, this would seem easy. But for me, it was an excruciating month.
Not only does fasting reveal the things we can’t live without, but it also reveals the things that we worship. It became unbelievably clear to me in that month of fasting that I had turned video games into an idol; I had turned to them to be the source of my delight. I had made them more significant to my happiness than Christ.
Idols are interesting: we can turn anything into one, and they are often good things — like food, games, even family and marriage.
How often do we raise the value of things that God has given to bless us, and turn them into things to worship?
Dear Jesus, forgive me for worshipping things other than You. Remind me daily to lay the things of this world that I love so much at Your feet. I ask You to come and be the most significant thing in my life. Amen.
Take Action
Whether you are fasting regularly or not, ask God to reveal to you the things you can’t live without. Lay them at the feet of Christ and confess to Him that you’ve loved that thing more than Him. Ask Him to be the true King of your life, and to put that thing you love so much in its rightful place – at the feet of Jesus.