The hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty. (Ezra 8:22,23 ESV)
Fasting
The idea of fasting is often connected in the Bible with crying out in desperation to God. Here, Ezra describes how the people of God fasted, refrained from eating, while they implored God for help.
Fasting is not magic. Fasting is not a ritual that we should perform to cause God to do things He does not want to do. Fasting is not a means of coercing God.
Rather, fasting has to do with ourselves.
Fasting, doing without the pleasure of food, is an honest display of our urgent need before God.
Fasting, choosing to do without the common astonishing blessings God gifts us, reminds us of our daily dependance on Him.
Fasting, waiting to be full, content, or relaxed, is an indication of our problems that are looming large today.
Fasting doesn’t push God… but it might pull us in the right direction.