21 Day Fast – Day 11
Day 11. Hump Day. We are half-way through our 21 day fast. I was doing my Experiencing God study and happened upon this statement by Henry Blackaby:
“What is God’s will for my life? One of my seminary professors, Gaines S. Dobbins, used to say, “If you ask the wrong question, you will get the wrong answer.” Sometimes we assume every question is legitimate. However when we ask the wrong question, we may find an answer but remain disoriented to God and His activity. Always check to see whether you have the right question before you pursue the answer. “What is God’s will for my life?” is not the right question. I think the proper question is, What is God’s will? Once I know God’s will, then I can adjust my life to Him. In other words, what is it God is purposing to accomplish where I am? Once I know what God is doing, then I know what I need to do. The focus needs to be on God, not on my life.”
This morning as I was meditating on Experiencing God I was reminded of a thought I have had for quite some time:
“You can’t have a Pentecost without a resurrection. You can’t have a resurrection with out a crucifixion.”
Mulling over this thought I was reminded of the many people I have known throughout the years of ministry, and another thought occurred to me: “Before there can be a crucifixion you must know God.” The Bible tells us that “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Yet our perceptions of God are shaped through our experiences, sins of our fathers, lies of the enemy, and the world. The self-centered filter and lens of who we think God is will be distorted, deformed, cloudy, and out of focus at best. All of these like tethering chains pull on us dragging us to everything but God.
Fasting offends our minds (and our stomachs) exposing what’s really in our hearts. Pay close attention and you will notice that you have been tethered to something that has been actually taking you away from God – not closer to Him. Ultimately the solution is to have God as our Center. But it has to be “the Center” found in the whole counsel of God – not just certain passages of Scripture. The whole counsel of God will shine the necessary light to snap the shackles of bondage, and torment. May we all cry out with Braveheart’s William Wallace: “Freedom!”
