Comments on: Ash Wednesday miscellanea

By: Jessi

Jessi — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:49:34 +0000

I agree with Mason, about fasting. You should fast. However, I don’t agree that fasting is just giving up one thing that you like for Lent. Fasting is a time to dig deeper into God’s Word and to grow closer to God. There are so many people who give up one thing for Lent not even realizing why they do it. How much of a sacrifice is it to just give up one thing for a short while. Fasting should be a time when you not only give something up, but when you give it up, spend time getting to know God better.

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:18:18 +0000

Mason, you asked above whether giving something up for Lent is permanent or temporary. I don’t know if there’s an “official” answer to that question, but I’d say it depends largely on the individual.

Sometimes when you give something up for a long period of time, you realize at the end of that time period that you really don’t “need” that thing after all, so there’s no need to go back to it. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving something up for a specific period of time and then resuming it afterwards. Just my $.02.

By: mason

mason — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 01:15:19 +0000

Thank you. I should have stated I was a protestant who attends a pentecostal church.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:16:11 +0000

Mason, Lent is on the Protestant church calendar and is celebrated by millions of Protestants worldwide each year.

Just to clarify.

By: mason

mason — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 02:01:43 +0000

As a protestant, we do not celebrate Lent. But fasting is important since Jesus stated in Matt-6:16, “WHEN you fast” not “IF you fast.” So one can assume Christians should be doing it.

I could only find fasting as a commandment for the Day of Atonement as spoken about in Lev. 16:29, 23, 32. But since Jesus has become our atonement offering we don’t need to observe this anymore.

I do believe that the Spirit of God should lead one to fast for the following reasons: 1) mourning a death (1 Sam 31:13), 2) mourning sin, repentance/confession (Deu 9:18, 1 Sam 7:6), 3) Protection (Ezra 8:21, Jer 36:9), 4) Direction (Acts 13:2), 5) Sickness (Psalm 35:13), Ordination of missionaries/church leaders (Acts 13, 14:23), and 7) Specific revelation (Dan. 10-1:3, Exodus (34:28).

Fasting should occur at anytime not necessarily during Lent but if it brings one into a closer relationship with God, this is good. Question, once you give up something for Lent is it permanent or temporary?

In love