While reading the prophet Jeremiah, Daniel came across a very important detail. The exile of his people was about to come to an end.In response, this is what he did: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).This … Continue reading Pleas for mercy—with fasting
fasting
Lent and the significance of “forty days”
Today is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter. The word itself, Lent, was chosen for convenience. It traces to an old English word for “springtime,” lencten. More literally, it means “lengthen,” which is a reference to the lengthening of days after a long, dark winter. … Continue reading Lent and the significance of “forty days”
A starving man trying to eat air
Pause Alert: After today, The Up Daily Devotional will go on pause for a week, returning on March 17th. I’m taking some vacation time. Can you believe the devotional has been going for almost 10 years?You can access previous devotionals at TheUpDevo.com. You can also listen to back episodes on your favourite podcasting app. Just search … Continue reading A starving man trying to eat air
Fasting in a world of self-indulgence
A lot of people “give up” things for Lent. The biblical—and therefore, accurate—word for this is fasting. If you’re going to fast it’s important to know the reason. Going through the motions is of limited value if you don’t know why you’re doing it. One example of fasting is found in Ezra 8:21: “I proclaimed … Continue reading Fasting in a world of self-indulgence
Is fasting the black sheep?
Fasting is like the black sheep of the spiritual disciplines. Prayer, Bible-reading, worship, simplicity, and servanthood are much more on display. But fasting is often tucked away, kind of awkward, and a bit neglected. And yet there it is. Fasting was practiced by Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Anna, Paul and, of course, Jesus. After … Continue reading Is fasting the black sheep?
To get something great
Proverbs 25:28 "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls." (NLT) Today's Thought I’m three days in to a three week coffee fast. Just to be clear, that means I’m not drinking ANY coffee. For three weeks. At all. Zilch. For some of you that’s no big deal. But for me, coffee has … Continue reading To get something great
Short-term pain
Proverbs 28:25 “A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.” (ESV) Today's Thought I’ve been depriving myself of things. Think of them as mini-fasts. They’re little chunks of time when I go without something. Usually it’s food, but it could be other things too, like spending … Continue reading Short-term pain
