Doctor's Orders

A routine check-up at the doctor’s office brought to light the need to bring my records up to date.

“Blood work with fasting”, he said. My heart began to sink as I wondered what exactly he meant. As I was scheduling a time to have the blood drawn the receptionist reminded me, “No eating or drinking anything for 12 hours before the appointment.”

I knew I'd follow my doctor's orders despite my desire to eat because I know that the fasting is necessary to make the blood work come out right. And I need to remember that the same is true of God. When He tells me to fast, it’s to help purge me of things in my life that mess up the work His blood has done and that short circuit the results I desire to see. It's to teach discipline and reinforce submission to His authority, and to accomplish things that can’t be brought about by any other means.

Three times today I heard my doctor say, “Remember the fasting.” It was important enough for him to mention it several times. How many times does God have to say the same? Surely he means for me to listen. And it’s really so little to ask when I remember the blood Jesus shed on the cross for me.

When God says, “Remember the fasting,” it’s easier to do if I consider that in this case, the Blood work has already been done.

" And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:29)