Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 4:1-2

When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he went into the desert wilderness and fasted for forty days. Fasting is an ancient practice that has been both neglected and had its meaning confused. Some of you may have experienced fasting as simply giving something up. But the spiritual meaning and practice is much more profound. Deprivation is difficult, but it actually reveals what gets in the way of our dependence on God. Lauren Winner wrote of fasting that “When I am sated, it is easy to feel independent. When I am hungry, it is possible to remember where my dependence lies” (Mudhouse Sabbath). 

Fasting is commonly done by going without food. For this Lent season, you have been asked to fast from media in some way instead. In the absence of food (or in our case, media), we understand what, or who, truly fills our emptiness. It’s not until we get to the end of our resources that we really understand this.

In the first few days of The Cross-shaped Life devotions, we’ll see what came out of Jesus’ heart as he fasted. In the days following, we’ll look at what the Holy Spirit wants to bring out of our hearts. In your fast from media, you will experience a real struggle, yet God will be with you in a closer way than you imagine. Spend time expressing gratitude that God is always with you!

Lord Jesus, you fasted for forty days so I’m following you. I don’t know what I’m doing and I might have some fear. Help me, Lord, because my desire to live apart from you is powerful. I so want to be “in the know” and this has taken away from my relationship with you. As I put this aside, reveal to me not just my habits of sin but also the greatness of your heart and love for me because of the gospel.