The ultimate reward and prize of this life is the intimate presence of Jesus. The Apostle Paul, who practiced fasting often(11), had this to say about what he knew was the greatest prize;
Philippians 3:8
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
The Apostle Paul considered everything else worthless in comparison to the ultimate prize of winning Christ. It’s not that everything else in life is worthless, but when you place it next to that which is most excellent, everything fades in comparison. Jesus is the ultimate reward, and winning Him is the prize. This is why we fast. We want to know Him and we want to experience Him, and that desire overwhelms every other passion of our hearts.
It’s with this reality in mind that Jesus explains the truest motivation for fasting. His teaching is found in Mark 2:18-19,
“And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they came and said unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, –Can the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”
Jesus spoke of those days when the bridegroom would be taken away. Until that time the disciples of Jesus would enjoy uninterrupted fellowship with the Son of God, and His presence in their lives would make the need for fasting obsolete. But, when He was no longer with them in the flesh, the days of fasting would begin.
We too are living in a time when Jesus is not with us in that physical way, which removed the need to fast. But now, through fasting, we have a way of drawing near to Jesus and enjoying His intimate fellowship once again. Fasting then restores to our lives a measure of the Lord’s presence that was taken away when He ascended into heaven, and so the longing in our hearts for Him finds fulfillment.
Remember, today, that Jesus is the ultimate prize of this life. He is Immanuel(12), which means God with us, and His presence is the greatest blessing available to mankind, without which there can never be true satisfaction or fulfillment.
(11) 2 Corinthians 11:27
(12) Isaiah 7:14
[subscribe2]