Daniel’s Fast
In Daniel 10 the prophet is troubled as he contemplates God’s will for his people and the future. So he devotes himself to prayer, employing a certain type of fast for the purpose of focusing his attention on the Lord.
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips. (Daniel 10:2-3)
At the end of this three week time of prayer and fasting an angel showed up and gave him encouragement and understanding.
Over the last couple weeks I took some time away from message prep, staff meetings, and office work to study, pray, reflect, and write. I’m working on my doctoral dissertation which involves seeking God’s will and direction for Grace Place. I decided to do a three week “Daniel’s Fast.” For me it meant drinking nothing but water (which will get your attention if you are a coffee drinker like me), no meat, and no “choice food”, which I decided would mean no sweets, fried foods, rich foods… eating just simple healthy foods like fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains. I have found this to be a very helpful spiritual discipline to help me give serious focus to seeking the Lord and also sort of a physically cleansing experience.
There should be nothing legalistic about fasting—like we’re trying to get God to notice us or earn his favor. But it is a time honored, biblical, spiritual discipline that can be helpful for focusing our attention on the Lord. And there are different types of fasts—not just abstaining completely from food, but also a Daniel type fast.
