Good Morning!
First, a couple of notes about fasting from the United Methodist web site:
What does The United Methodist Church say about fasting?
Fasting has been a part of Methodism from it's early beginnings. John Wesley considered fasting an important part of a Christian's life and he personally fasted weekly. To Wesley, fasting was an important way to express sorrow for sin and penitence for overindulgence in eating and drinking. He believed it benefited prayer life by allowing more time for prayer. He also felt fasting was more meaningful if combined with giving to the poor. Wesley did advise caution against extreme fasting and against fasting for those in fragile health. Visit
John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life for more on John Wesley and fasting.
The penitential season of Lent is a season of the Church year which commemorates the forty days Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. Although fasting usually refers to any practice of restricting food, there is a distinction, in the Church, between fasting (limiting food to one full meal a day, with two smaller meals allowed) and abstinence (abstaining from eating meat.) Abstinence from meat one day a week is a universal act of penitence. Visit the Upper Room's
Ask Julian Web site for more information. It is important that you check with your physician before attempting a total fast (no food, water only) for more than 24 hrs.
Lent is a very personal time for individuals, so the United Methodist Church does not have official guidelines on how individuals should observe Lent. For example, the church does not say everyone has to fast. We may choose other ways of observing acts of penance, but we are not to neglect it, either - the value of self-denial can be learned early in a person's life. Lent provides an excellent opportunity to teach children the necessity of self-denial in our permissive society. A spirit of fasting can include restriction of luxuries such as television watching, shopping and going out with friends. We can give away clothing or possessions to those in need or we can give time to the Lord by volunteering our services or special prayers and devotions. Whenever possible we can pray more often alone or with family members. The article "
Connecting Worship and Daily Living in Lent" by Rev. Dan Benedict offers many suggestions for personal Lenten practices.
A second, shorter note:
The Wesley Fast, traditionally observed, begins with dinner on Thursday evening and continues until tea time on Friday. Time and energy that would have been consumed in eating is offered for deeper prayer, meditation and works of charity and compassion. When, for health reasons such a fast is not advisable, persons are encouraged to adjust the fast to their personal needs. Please remember to drink plenty of juice and water.
The new unit for this week is Unit 12, Holiness of Heart
Focus Scripture for the Week: Hebrews 4:7
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.
Today's topic: Deuteronomy 6:1-9
-- we have earlier had some conversation about holiness, and the Reflections section this week talks about that uncomfortableness we may have with the word holiness. The main thing to take away from this week's lesson is understanding what our goal is in this area.
-- for whatever reason, it always throws me when we have a reading from the Old Testament, but it is always remarkable to me how contemporary the readings can be. For instance, v. 9, the idea of writing the commandments "on the doorframes of your houses and your gates" -- in a way sounds odd, but think about this -- while not literally the same thing, think about all the places in our homes and places of work where we do have scripture posted or hung in a frame or posted.
Today's prayer request: Twink Scales
Twink is having issues with her eye, particularly her retina. Need to pray for healing for her.
Today's class member prayer:
Terry Shinabarger
Have a great day.
Jay
