Mark 2:18-22 (New King James Version)
18] The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" 19] And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20] But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21] No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22] And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."
Uh Oh! Conflict Over Fasting!
Imagine this scene: You attend a huge wedding and are invited to a local country club for the after -wedding reception. You're famished, and on the way from the church to the reception, you can't help but imagine what the sumptuous reception meal might include. However upon arrival, the guests are solemnly told that rather than celebrating with a delicious meal, everyone will be fasting and self denying.
Jesus and His disciples did not practice the rigorous fasting of the Pharisees, so they were challenged by the critics. Jesus answered the challenge with a question based on a logical answer: There are appropriate and inappropriate times to fast. His appearance on the earth was s a special time; He was like a bridegroom at a wedding and the disciples were the guests. That's not a time to fast, but to celebrate!
FOR TODAY: Take time to write down 12 reasons why you should celebrate being a child of God.
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