so, Jesus’ explanation to the pharisees about fasting was pretty straight forward. “I’m here now, so they don’t need to…but after I’m gone, they will.” and He uses a wedding to explain it.

i’m sure we know someone who can be a debbie downer anywhere they are. they always have the right ammo in their pocket to shoot down the joy in any occasion. life was tough on them at some point, and they never were able to let it go. so, now whenever there seems to be some sort of joy on the horizon, they complain about this, or tell some depressing story about “the last time i did anything like this…” and everyone gets bummed out and tries to move on. but the mood never really recovers. then people really start questioning why that person was even invited to the celebration since they’re always like that…

So, Jesus tells the pharisees that while he’s around, it’s like being in the midst of a wedding. the groom (that’s Him) is present, and there is no occasion for somber attitudes at that point in time. there would be a time, later, but not right now. and of course they wouldn’t understand that, because they hadn’t been truly happy in so long, they wouldn’t know joy if it bit them on the nose.

weddings and fasting are mutually exclusive. weddings and diets really should be, too. if you have the willpower to eat nothing but tiny, toddler sized snacks for each meal for over a month, you can totally afford to have one piece of cake without making a big deal about it. you don’t even need to mention your diet. just enjoy the cake because you are part of a celebration!

as Christians, we know the groom personally (He’s our groom after all) and so we should have a better understanding of just how to act, and what type of attitudes are expected/appropriate when we are with Him.

there is a little church that meets in the top part of the building across the parking lot from our church. we can see them from our front entrance. and there’s maybe 20-25 people that meet there. it’s a really boring building. it’s above a window tinting shop and another business, and there is absolutely no signage saying who they are on the door. but there is one window…and each sunday, when our second service is getting ready to start, they are already into their worship time. you can see people moving all over the place, falling back, getting excited & milling around as they worship. they don’t care that their meeting place is basically an old apartment that was turned into a now abandoned office. they’re spending time with their groom and having a great time of it…

we need to have a little joy folks. i know things seem bleak from time to time. i know that life can be rough. i know that grandma and grandpa told you not to make any noise in church. but, my goodness, have some cake! we know the outcome. we know the Groom. we know where we’re going, and how He’s going to help us through until then…have some cake! why all the somber decorum in the midst of celebration? it’s like we’re all a bunch of debbie downers sometimes, and we need to just let go and enjoy ourselves with Jesus. quit nibbling on lettuce in the corner, sipping water and depressing yourself with war stories. grab a fork, have some cake and get out on that parquet dance floor!

seriously. have some cake and celebrate your Groom. let go a little.  get your hands out of your pockets, quit being a wallflower, and dance. there is plenty of time for fasting, and somber attitudes. there is enough sorrow in life to contend with, each day has trouble enough for itself.

nobody is going to want to become part of the bride of Christ if we all act like we’re going before the executioner everyday. you can’t pass on wedding cake. you can’t be a boring bride. it’s not sackcloth & ashes time when we gather together.

fasting is definitely a good and valuable and worthwhile discipline. and something that is a matter of ‘when’ we practice it, not ‘if’…

it needs to be done on a regular basis, and there needs to be the proper attitude to go along with it…but remember, Jesus said that even then to put on clean clothes, wash up and look nice. put a smile on your face, too, so no one knows what you’re doing. so, even in our most serious time, don’t take ourselves too seriously, or draw attention to our our attempts at piety.

when joy and closeness get swapped for longing and anticipation was when Jesus’ disciples would begin their fasting. the seeking after Him could begin then, but as long as He still walked the earth, there was no need for it…yet. the heart reaches out in yearning when we fast, and now, as we wait in eager expectation we can fast. but we don’t live our entire life as though there is no wedding, as though there is no Groom that we’re waiting on.

He is coming, and there is great joy for us for that very reason. let’s live like we understand that…