torsdag 21. januar 2010

Fasting

"Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
(Isaiah 58,6-7)


In about three weeks, the 40 days of the fast begins. Most of my life this period of the Church year has passed by without much attention, to be honest, it is not before the two last years I have even offered it a thought. What is the point of not eating for fourty days, anyway?


After having further studied the Word of God, I realise that it is not really about the food. It is about focusing on living a Godly life - to DO his Word, not only listen to it. Reading these verses from the Prophet Isaiah back in Norway, I thought, "wow, how will I be able to do this?" There are not so many hungry, poor or homeless in my neighbourhood...


In Ngaoundéré, on the other hand, my extended neighbourhood is the poorest part of the town. You do not see many streetkids or extreme poverty on an everyday basis, but life is tough for a whole lot of people, not only in Burkina (the poorest part of town).


Now, as I actually am in a place with the poor people, with the hungry, how should I fast? 
Feedback and ideas are welcomed with thanks! 

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