Well, the fast is over…quick huh? It lasted 12 days; 7 days juice and 5 water. The last three days I was sick…VERY SICK. I had to cancel everything, couldn’t move well, stomach was a mess, blanked out a couple of times…heck, it was simply miserable. Friends were even concerned I would end up in the ER. Now you would think I would tell you it was simply one of the most terrible experiences of my life, but absolutely not! God called me to it for a purpose. He called me to fast, I took it upon myself to get revved up for a 40 day fast, God ended it with my getting sick, BUT He gently spoke to me and told me “You did it again”. What was it I did? I took something that was pleasing to Him and made it into a “works” related thing (doing it under my power instead of His). I moved the focus off of Him and onto me. He called me to fast for His glory, not for 40 days…I made the 40 day call.
In my life I must be careful to take something which is good, something God calls me to, and turn it into something that is about me instead of Him…taking something made for His glory and making it an ultimate of mine. He told me when He called me to fast I would understand His glory more…I do. He showed me how I can take His glory and turn it into something about me so easily. He gave me something to watch out for as I walk His road on His terms…I can easily attempt to steal God’s glory and if I do it will end badly.
I do believe that I will fast again very soon. I am going to mentally prepare through prayer and ask God to glorify Himself in what I do and be on guard for any temptation to make it for my own glory. In the meanwhile I am continuing to assist Tammy in getting ready to move to Kenya, finishing the last of our tent-making (the work God has given us to meet our daily needs which enabled us to spend our last three years full-time in the ministry without compensation), and presenting the ministry to whoever will listen…hopefully all for His glory, not mine! God bless you.