FASTING FOR AARON

by Danna Shirley

            I like food.  I guess I like it too much to do without it…ever!  My friend, Dot, fasted and prayed every Monday for her wayward son.  I was impressed with her commitment but not desperate enough to join her.  As I complained about my son, Aaron’s, behavior, Dot would encourage me to fast and pray for him.  I always found an excuse.  “I’m such a failure,” I complained.  “I can last until about 10:00 in the morning and then I want to consume the kitchen.” 

            Even though I knew I needed to fast for Aaron, I never could get past that 10:00 time frame.  Aaron was fourteen and rather rebellious…at home and especially at school…and especially with his P.E. teacher.  He had been called into her office and the principal’s office numerous times until my husband and I were finally summoned for a conference.  It ended with his suspension from school.

            Aaron was an angry, scowling, irritable, teenager; in other words, normal, and I couldn’t convince him that it would be in his best interest to behave himself and get along with his teacher.  I was relaying all of this to Dot one day when she said, “It sounds like it’s time to fast and pray for him!” 

            Ugh, there was that dreaded word…fast!  “But I can’t,” I told her.  “My stomach rules over my head…and my heart!”

            Then Dot came back with the clincher.  “Isn’t Aaron worth it?  Isn’t this situation beyond your control?  Don’t you think he deserves your prayers?  Fasting is only half of the equation; you have to commit to pray during this fast.  When you do, God upholds you to follow through.” 

            OUCH!!!  That hit hard but it was just what I needed to put food under my feet and God over my head.  I had just become desperate enough.  Looking up what the Bible had to say about fasting, I found…

The fast that God has chosen is…

To loose the bonds of wickedness

To undo the heavy burdens

To let the oppressed go free

To break every yoke.

            THEN light shall break forth like the morning,

            Healing shall spring forth speedily

            Righteousness shall go before you

            The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

THEN you shall call and the Lord will answer

You shall cry and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

            IF you take away the yoke, the pointing finger, and speaking wickedness

            IF you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul

            THEN your light shall dawn in the darkness

            And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

The Lord will guide you continually

And satisfy your soul in drought

And strengthen your bones

You shall be like a watered garden

And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

            Those from among you

            Shall build the old waste places

            You shall raise up the foundations of many generations

            And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach

            The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

IF you turn away [back] your foot from [to] the Sabbath

From doing your pleasure on My holy day

And call the Sabbath a delight

The holy day of the Lord honorable

And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways

Nor finding your own pleasure

Nor speaking your own words.

            THEN you shall delight yourself in the Lord

            And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth

            And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father

            The mouth of the Lord has spoken.                            

Isaiah 58:6-14

            With the Word of God supporting me, I made my decision to begin.  Once I was able to push past 10:00 on that first day it became easier.  With Aaron as my focused prayer, God was carrying me through and I was loving my time spent with Him.  I continued to cook and serve meals to my family and no one noticed that I wasn’t eating.  Aaron still scowled and growled and I saw no change in him. 

            I fasted through that first day, and a second day, and late afternoon of the third day the miracle happened.  When I picked Aaron up after school, he jumped off the bus with a smile on his face and greeted me with a warm and friendly hug…actually happy to see me…SHOCK!!!  Even one of his good friends, Sarah, asked me, “What’s gotten into Aaron?  He’s been laughing and joking all day.” 

            I was in awe to see such a breakthrough…and a breakdown of his teenage rebellion.  He was never again so sullen and difficult.  Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness.