The “Daniel Fast” is a fad that is sweeping through the American Church today. It has grown in popularity due to the fact that dozens of mega-churches have adopted the practice of taking the first 21 days of January to copy the decision by the Prophet Daniel to eat “no choice food; no meat,” and “no wine,” for 21 days. Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church and best selling author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” has been giving us some of the best material on “The Daniel Plan.”
This is my second year doing the Daniel Fast, and I strongly recommend everyone try it; however, I feel a caution in my soul. The first sentence of Daniel 10:2 shot through my ear like an arrow this morning. It says, “At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.” Most conversations I am having with people about their “Daniel Fast” are all about the food. We talk about how good this tastes, and how good that tastes, and how we have learned to substitute sweet-tasting fruit for sugar, and how legumes contain protein, and how quinoa replaces white rice. To be honest, we sound more food-obsessed than when we are eating normally.
By the way, if you change your eating habits to be healthier, bravo! Eliminating toxins from being put into the Temple of the Holy Spirit is, within itself, a spiritual practice. “Daniel Dieting,” however, is not the same as “Daniel Fasting.” Daniel was desperate to hear from God. Daniel was worried about his nation, which was in Babylonian bondage. Daniel had gotten a message that a great war was coming. Daniel took the burden of his nation, his king and his community on his shoulders. The Daniel Fast wasn’t about fad or food, it was about a man desperate to hear from God.
Dry-eyed self-centered spirituality just isn’t doing it anymore. What more has to happen to our world, our loved ones, our marriages, our morality and our generation before we “mourn?” Scientists and sociologists seem more concerned than most church members. Have you taken the time to read Daniel Chapter 9? Listen to this excerpt from Daniel 9:4-6, “I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.’”
Friends, Daniel wasn’t thinking about fruit smoothies and meatless chili. He believed getting right with God was a life-or-death matter, and he was overwhelmed with concern about his world. I am not mocking such discussion, for I have engaged in them myself, but I have also wept over my sins and the sins of my nation. Are we afraid to hit the panic button in prayer? Do we think that desperation might be inappropriate in times like these? Daniel didn’t. How do you think Daniel would have responded if his nation had aborted 1.2 million unborn children as ours did last year; or if his home state had 185 heroin overdoses in a 4-month period, or if his people were experiencing a systematic genocide as our Christian brothers and sisters are right now in the Middle East?
Listen, fasting things you enjoy is important; it’s organized suffering, and suffering is important. Suffering is not important because it gets God’s attention, you are the one who is distracted. We must fast because we’re not focused. Every time I want a cup of coffee, which is about every 2 minutes, I think about how many things there are that are more important than coffee. I think about what I need to pray about.
I am begging all believers to let your voices be heard on high, and let your tears be seen by every Devil in Hell that has diabolical plans to destroy your children, your marriage and your holy calling. Like Daniel, you will have something more to talk about than an amazing detox. Like Daniel, you will have the curtain pulled back, and you will know what God is up to, and that will bring you hope.
