Fasting in Advent: A First Sunday Advent Devotional

Introducing Advent

Welcome to Advent! This is separate and distinct from the Christmas season. So even though our culture tries to rush into the celebration, we first participate in the season of Advent, a season of waiting, preparing, and fasting. Fasting!?!? Yes, fasting. In the Church Year, Advent has traditionally been a time to fast as we prepare for the celebration of Jesus's birth. But before diving into today's topic of fasting during Advent, we will first look at the big picture plan for this season. Advent covers the period of time of the 4 Sundays before Christmas. So each Sunday of Advent, there will be a new blogpost in this series, looking at one of the aspects of Advent. This week, we will cover fasting, next week, we will consider gifts from a new light. The third week, we will look at how to make room for the Christ Child in a season that is chronically overbooked and stuffed with activities that are meant to be fun, but tend to add to our stress. Finally we will discuss how the waiting, listening, silence, and even darkness of Advent prepares us for the celebration of Christmastide. 

Fasting in Advent

Last year I learned that Advent, in the Church Year, has traditionally been a time of fasting, just like Lent is. Some people fast for the 40 days before Christmas (discounting Sundays of course), whereby others might fast from All Saint's Day (November 1st) until Christmas Eve (December 24th). 

Why should we consider fasting during Advent? It fits with the theme of waiting and anticipating, for one. We aren't celebrating in Advent, we celebrate during Christmastide (aka the 12 days of Christmas). So instead of a month of feasting, cramming our schedules full of secular traditions, or otherwise rushing into Christmas, we wait, fast, and pray. 

Fasting in the Bible has traditionally been food. There are plenty of resources on the internet about the biblical examples of fasting and how to fast. I will recommend this fasting guideline that outlines a 9 step process to fasting. So instead of going from "never" to "fully fasting", we can gradually adjust our fasting levels as we cut out different foods. (FYI, the fully fasting means "no meat, fish, dairy products, wine or oil during the entirety of Great Lent" so I'm not talking about not eating for 40 days, but I'm talking about restricting what I eat while still getting all of the vital nutrients). 

I personally do a blend of Wesleyan fasting and Greek Orthodox fasting. During Lent and Advent, I A) reduce the types of food that I eat and B) wait until the afternoon to eat. So I am still eating during the times of fasting, but the non-essential foods are set aside for this season and I delay when I break my fast for the day. For those who must eat meals on a regular schedule for their health, then still eat all 3 meals, but consider cutting out non-essential snacks and non-essential dishes)

How can we fast this Advent season? 

Thanksgiving in the Bible

This season of Ordinary Time has drawn to a close. I was debating whether to dive into Christ the King Sunday or a theme of Thanksgiving. Since I had written posts in 2013 and 2018 on Christ the King Sunday and posts in 2012 and 2020 on Thanksgiving, I don't feel a need to "reinvent the wheel" for the sake of publishing a post today. I considered discussing Pollyanna's Rejoicing Texts, but once more, I did that in 2013. 

So this year, let's take a step back from the American holiday of Thanksgiving and consider the biblical side of thanksgiving (30), giving thanks (6), and give thanks (48).

 

As we look at summaries of these verses, let us consider: 

-What verses are presented as historical examples? (i.e. They dedicated the wall with songs of thanksgiving)

-What verses are presented as commands/instructions? (i.e. Sing to the Lord with praise and thanksgiving)

-What verses are future-oriented/prophecies? (i.e. There will be future thanksgiving)

-What are the outlier verses about? How would you categorize them? 

-What can we learn from the historical examples? 

-How can we summarize the commands and instructions? (There are 13 command bullet points. Can we reduce them down further?)

-What WILL cause future thanksgiving of God? 

-When can we expect future thanksgiving? 

-What can we learn about the outlier verses? 

-Would you sort these in a different manner? How would you sort them? 

-What can we learn about thanksgiving, giving thanks, and give thanks from our blitz through the Bible? 

Thanksgiving in the Bible

• Fellowship offering of thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:13, Leviticus 7:15)
• Sing to the Lord with praise and thanksgiving (Ezra 3:11)
• There was a (music) director and associates who led in thanksgiving and prayer (Nehemiah 11:17, Nehemiah 12:8, Nehemiah 12:46)
• One service had people standing to give praise and thanksgiving, and one section responded to the other (Nehemiah 12:24)
• The newly rebuilt wall of Jerusalem was dedicated with songs of thanksgiving (Nehemiah 12:27)
• A psalmist praises God’s name in song and glorifies Him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30)
• A psalmist urges the people to come before God with thanksgiving and to extol Him with music and song (Psalm 95:2)
• A psalmist urges the people to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. We are to give thanks to Him and praise Him (Ps. 100:4) 
• The prophets prophesied future thanksgiving (Isaiah 51:3, Jeremiah 30:19)
• In our modern Bibles, “thanksgiving” shows up as the heading of multiple passages of Scripture. So these would be good passages to expand out into the complete passage. (1 Corinthians 1:4, Ephesians 1:15, Philippians 1:13, Colossians 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Timothy 1:3, Philippians 1:4)
• Paul talks about the cup of thanksgiving in regards to communion/the Lord’s supper. (1 Corinthians 10:16)
• Paul notes that people cannot agree with our thanksgiving if we aren’t speaking the common language (1 Corinthians 14:16)
• Paul wants thanksgiving to overflow, so God may be glorified (2 Corinthians 4:15)
• Paul notes that when we are generous and empower workers to carry out God’s calling, then this will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11)
• We should have thanksgiving instead of improper topics of conversation (Ephesians 5:4)
• We should pray and petition in every situation with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
• We should pray, petition, intercede, and offer thanksgiving for all people (1 Timothy 2:1)
• God created food to be received with thanksgiving and so we shouldn’t reject any food if we receive it with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:3-4)

Giving Thanks in the Bible

• Daniel continued praying and giving thanks to God, even after a law was passed that made it illegal (Daniel 6:10)
• Paul notes that giving thanks while speaking in tongues works for us, but doesn’t edify others. (1 Corinthians 14:17)
• Paul was giving thanks for the Ephesians as he remembered them in his prayers (Ephesians 1:16)
• Paul was giving (joyful) thanks to the Father (Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 1:12, Colossians 3:17)

Give Thanks in the Bible

• Command: Give thanks to the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1/29, Psalm 136:1-3/26, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
• Petition: Save us, so that we may give thanks to You (1 Chronicles 16:35, Psalm 106:47
• Someone's Job: People were chosen and designated to give thanks to the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 20:21, 2 Chronicles 31:2, Nehemiah 12:24, Nehemiah 12:31)
• Prayer: we give thanks to You (1 Chronicles 29:13) 
• Musicians gave praise and thanks to God (2 Chronicles 5:13)
• Plan: I will give thanks to You/the Lord (Psalm 7:17, Psalm 9:1, Psalm 35:18, Psalm 118:19/21, Psalm 119:62)
• Instructions: Let them give thanks to God (Psalm 107:8/15/21/31)
• Prophecy: There will be people calling for others to give thanks to God (Jeremiah 33:11)
• Jesus’ example: Jesus had given thanks before eating and drinking (Matthew 15:36, Matthew 26:26-27, Mark 8:6, Mark 14:22-23, Luke 22:19, Luke 24:30, John 6:23, 1 Corinthians 11:24) 
• We should give thanks to God when we eat or abstain (Romans 14:6)
• Paul thanks God because of His grace given to us (1 Corinthians 1:4) *this one has “thank” and “give”, but doesn’t quite fit in the theme. 
• We give thanks for the cup of thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 10:16)
• Thank God; He gives us victory through Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57) *this one has “thank” and “give”, but doesn’t quite fit in the theme. 
• Many will give thanks for the successes of the missionaries because of the prayers of the church (2 Corinthians 1:11)
• We will give glory, honor, and thanks to God (Revelation 4:9)
• We will tell God that we give thanks to Him (Revelation 11:17)

Romans 12: Part 23

Romans 12: Part 23

After instructing us to let God handle the avenging and to treat our enemies humanely, Paul finishes this chapter with the command "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

The evil in the world wants to win. It wants to overwhelm and overpower God's people. It wants to drag us down to its level, where we make poor choices in the name of "the ends justify the means". If it can get us to lie, cheat, and steal under the guise of "winning a victory for Christ", then we have tarnished our witness as Christians and dragged Jesus' name through the mud. We must resist copying evil's ways to get our own way. How we achieve our goals matter just as much as the actual achievement. 

Instead of being overcome by evil, we should instead overcome evil with good. When we are hurt, we should not retaliate in anger and lash out. When we are wronged, we should forgive. When we are mocked and persecuted, we should pray for the people persecuting us. When someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek. (If you are in an abusive relationship, please seek help and refuge at a shelter. This verse does not justify ongoing abuse that we must continue to take because the abuser has twisted Scripture in an attempt to spiritualize their abuse.) Instead of sinking to their level and copying their tactics, we choose to obey Jesus' commands in how we treat them.

Questions to Wrestle With

Take time this week to consider: 

-How has evil tried to overcome you? 

-How have you tried to overcome evil with good? 

The End of Ordinary Time

For 23 weeks we have looked at and studied Romans 12. Yet, each season in the Church Year must draw to a close and make room for the next one. Next Sunday is the last Sunday before the season of Advent begins (the 4 Sundays before Christmas Day). In the Church Year, this Sunday is traditionally Christ the King Sunday, where we acknowledge His authority as the King of the Universe. Since this Sunday falls right before Thanksgiving (this year), we will be studying what the Bible says about "thanksgiving", "giving thanks", and "give thanks". 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Romans 12: Part 22

 Romans 12: Part 22

After telling us in verse 18 to "live at peace with everyone" with the qualifiers "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you," Paul goes on in verses 19 and 20 to tell us "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”"

Don't Take Revenge

We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. 

If someone hurts us with their words, we should not take revenge. 

If someone cheats us or steals from us, we should not take revenge. 

If someone mistreats us, we should not take revenge. 

If someone persecutes us, we should not take revenge. 

We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. 

Let God (the Avenger) Handle It

God handles the avenging. God will repay each person according to their deeds. (He said that He would in Deut. 32:35) If we are mistreated because of the Gospel (not our political affiliations or our own failures to live out the Scriptures), then God will handle it. To those who disobey His commands, they will face His wrath. But before we think we are safe, we need to remember that sin is not just "doing bad things", but is also "not doing good things". So if we are dehumanizing the people at our borders, the people on the other side of the political aisle, the people marginalized by society (the widow, orphan, stranger, poor, etc.), then we will be facing God's wrath. God cares for those on the margins of society and when we neglect them, Jesus counts it as we are neglecting HIM (see the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46). The way we treat other people and the way we talk about other people, even if they are not there (which is gossip), can earn us our own share of God's wrath. He will avenge His people's mistreatment, so let us carefully consider if our actions are wracking up His wrath. 

How to Treat Your Enemy

Instead of taking revenge, we should treat our enemy like, well, like we want to be treated. If our enemy is hungry, we should feed them. If our enemy is thirsty, we should give them something to drink. The quote from the Old Testament (Prov. 25:21-22) continues to say that treating our enemy well will "heap burning coals on his head". When someone treats us poorly and we respond by treating them well, then it will bother and perplex them. They might even want to know why we are helping them after the way they treated us. And that opens the door to sharing the Good News of Jesus, who commands us (in Matthew 5) to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. 

Questions to Wrestle With

Take time this week to consider: 

-When are you often tempted to take revenge? 

-How do you tend to avenge yourself? 

-When do you leave the avenging to God? 

-Which of your actions have earned your own share of God's wrath? 

-Which of God's people do you tend to mistreat? 

-When have you fed your enemy? 

-When have you given your enemy something to drink? 

-When has treating your enemy well confused them? 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.