Desperate measures
Our church has a long-standing partnership with several churches in Durban, South Africa, and we are deeply concerned about the current state of affairs there. In the last few weeks, hundreds of people have been killed and dozens of malls and businesses have been looted and burned by those protesting the imprisonment of former president, Jacob Zuma. The already struggling economy (over 40% unemployment), locked down due to another spike in COVID, has taken another blow. If they can restore order, it will take years to recover in any meaningful way. Even worse, this has further enflamed racial tensions that have put many of our dear friends of Indian heritage in great danger.
More troubling is how familiar the news footage coming out of South Africa has been. We’ve seen these mobs before. We can feel the racial and generational tensions rising. What is happening there has been happening here and everywhere. There is a growing feeling of helplessness and anxiety – a sense that the world has changed in ways that we cannot fathom. Looking forward, there is no one to lead us out of this mess. Our ruling class is failing: we despise our political leaders; we don’t trust our news media; we roll our eyes at our authorities and experts. We don’t know where things are going, and we don’t know what to do. These are desperate times, and, as you know…“desperate times call for desperate measures.”
What desperate measures?
So, what do we do? As Christians, what are the desperate measures that we can employ in desperate times? Here are three situations worthy of our consideration:
What do you do when you are surrounded by armies, with no chance of escape? (2 Chronicles 20)
What do you do when a day has been set for the annihilation of your people? (Esther 4)
What do you do when God has determined that your city must be overthrown in 40 days because of your wickedness? (Jonah 3)
In other words…what do you do when you don’t know what to do?
Read these stories carefully and you will see a common thread: in each situation, the people not only prayed to the Lord, but their leaders called for a fast. That is, they determined to abstain from food as they pleaded with God for mercy.
The reason for fasting
Why a fast? What possible benefit is there in not eating? We are already weak and helpless, why would we do something that makes us even more weak and helpless? At first glance, this makes no sense, but we walk by faith and not by sight. As Christians, we believe the Scriptures which teach us that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Therefore, we must humble ourselves before the Lord so that He will lift us up. (James 4:10)
Fasting is simply a means by which believers humble themselves, intentionally weakening themselves, so that they can pray with greater urgency and focus. Andrew Murray, a South African pastor and missionary, wrote: “Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible. Fasting is the other hand, the one with which we let go of the visible… Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain the Kingdom of God.”
The effects of fasting
The amazing testimony of Scripture is just how effective fasting can be when it accompanies fervent prayer and comes from a place of sincere desperation. Revisit those 4 stories and marvel at the glorious, even miraculous, way that God delivered those who called upon Him in such a way – even forgiving their wickedness.
To all my fellow Christians: Do you despair over the miserable state of this weary world and the welfare of your children? Do you weep over the suffering and bitterness of so many who live without hope and without God in this world and do not know the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ? Are you overwhelmed by all the evil around you and even inside your own heart? This is not the time to rise up in strength and pledge to work harder. This is the time to fall down in weakness and plead with your Heavenly Father with extra weakness. This is the time to fast and pray! Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Michael John is the pastor of Market Street Baptist Church in Amesbury, MA.
