Well today was the day. The evening meal today marked the completion of my 40 day fast. First of all let me remind everyone that I undertook this 40 day period because I fully believe that God was leading me in this time period. I would have never undertaken such a CRAZY task of my own desire. However, let me say, it is not crazy at all.
This has been one of the most eye-opening 40 days of my entire life, a spiritual marker, a blessing, and at times a challenge. To be honest I am sort of sad it is over and at the same time it is time to eat the right food, gain energy, and win 3000 people to Jesus Christ over the next 50 Golden Days.
This afternoon, Misty and I met 2 of our great friends and we had dinner. Kenneth and Teresa along with their daughter Kayla got to witness me taking my first bite in 40 days. We chose Gondolas partly because Misty and I really like the restaurant and I just wanted to break my fast with fish. now, I really wanted to go to a seafood restaurant and have some fried fish but I knew the smart thing to do was have something grilled or baked. When we walked in the restaurant owner came over and hugged all of us, he wondered why it had been so long since we had been in. Then he took a good look at me and said, “Where is the rest of you?”
We explained that I had not been eating and he wanted to know what kind of diet. I explained further that I had just finished a 40 day fast and that I was going to break my fast in his restaurant. He asked what I had been taking and I told him water, here is his response. “You are not able to handle my food.” It literally alarmed him, we have known Yassar for several years now and I think he was literally afraid I would die in his restaurant. He came o the table and said that he would like to fix me a grilled Salmon salad and that sounded good, however I did order a child order of Fettuccine Alfredo to go with it. The salad was a special treat, loaded with cucumbers, lemons, tomatoes, olives, and peaches. It also came with a special salmon sauce. The first bite I took was of a peach and it was the best, wow. I ate the 4 or 5 peaches that were on the plate and to be honest I wish I had just ordered a bowl of peaches. Let me be clear, the food was all awesome quality, prepared the best by the best but in the end it was just disappointing. I would have truly been happy with a bowl of peaches.
The fellowship with our friends Kenneth and Teresa was great too by the way. Kenneth is my running partner and I have missed running these 40 day as much and most of the time more than the food. We are planning to start running this next Tuesday. It will take some work as what use to be big running legs are now toothpicks compared to 40 days ago. However the reduction of 40 pounds could easily make up the difference.
On the way home, Misty said my disappointment was just a word from God that only He can truly satisfy and I have no doubt. You know, we run after so many things in this world to fill our lives. We run after money, sex, worldly goods, and for many we run after food.
We went to the grocery store tonight and nothing looked good. Last week we went to Sams and everything looked so good, I bought several things intending to cook them this week but now all I want to is load up on simple things, like fruit, peaches, apples, melons. I truly want to learn once again to eat to live and stop living to eat. There is so much more to life than food. There is so much that God wants to give us, do for us, and have us do with Him and so many times we miss it because we have ignored the need and expectation to fast.
Wow, I don’t really know how to explain, there are so many things going through my mind right now. I wish I had only had fruit, in so many ways I wish I had just kept fasting until I felt a true hunger pain, I never felt that in the 40 days.
Time goes on, God has work for us to do and I am eager to get started. I know in the near future God will reveal all that He wants me to understand about this journey that has just ended a chapter and started another one. As He reveals this to me, I will do my best to share it with all who care to hear. I need to be in bed but there is just a part of me that doesn’t want to lay down. So much is going through my mind. I know that I have been obedient and I rest knowing this.
Ronnie
