The Audience of One

I started fasting to lose weight. Then I was convicted that I should do a spiritual fast - fast and pray. I started reading John Piper's A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer to encourage me in this. I have found it both incredibly encouraging and convicting.

This morning, on the deck in Colorado with my fleece and sweatpants and the birds chirping (and my coffee), I started chapter 3 and read, "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." Matthew 6:16. Piper points out that it does not say if you fast but rather "when you fast".That is also consistent with what Jesus states in Matthew 9:15, "The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

As far as being "seen fasting by men", I have been tempted many times to somehow let people know I am fasting on the day of my fast. An interesting thing is that I have thought of scenarios where I felt I may need to inform someone that I am fasting, but those things never seem to happen. I rarely am put in a situation on the day of my fast where I feel it would be awkward to not admit that I am fasting. I see this as God's way of encouraging me to keep my fast between me and him, and not letting my fast be "seen by men". I know that I care way too much about what people think of me instead of having my eyes fixed on "The Audience of One".   The Audience of One