As I entered the large Christmas store, I was excited. I had my decorated bag in my hands. It had my stuff in there. Things I had brought. Nothing fancy or extravagant, but they were mine. They were things I carried. As I walked into the store I was ready for the beauty of Christmas. I opened the door and there were large empty shelves. It looked like there had been something there, but nothing to make me say “wow, I am here”. I was actually a little bit bummed I think. As I passed some of the shelves there were the helpers, the elves and I thought “this is weird. Where was the joy?” They looked down at the bag in my hand and while I thought they might ask to hold it, they did not.

My first thoughts on awaking from that dream were “what happened to joy”. I am a firm believer in if you have joy, “tell it to your face!” Solemnity is over rated. I am tired of the stern looks that are laid out for the people. Like, if you don’t want to be here, please go home! I spent way too many years being serious about things that were not needing my “solemn” approach.

I immediately began to think of all the things that have been thrown aside in the name of “grace”. I landed on fasting.

I have fasted from the day I gave my life over to Him. I have taught, bought and participated in for 25 years. My wife would tell you that I spent years fasting 2 meals a day, with a day off each week. That I engaged in long term fasts a few times a year. My fasting of these days is my own and not intended to cause folks to stumble, make a rule or denigrate. Fasting is personal.

So, I noticed something this past December. Many people began to fast again. Some had set it aside. Perhaps some had never utilized fasting. Fasting quickly can become ascetic. Quickly receive rules and attachments of scripture and thinking. I am not here to make a rule or much more than personal statement predicated upon observation and my time with God.

First, if you were to ask me do I think fasting is important, I would say yes. Immediately “anti-religion” people rise up. Words begin to be used like condemnation and fanatic. Wow! So much for the love! Did you see my note about joy above? People who do not pray as much as they believe they are to feel pained when we talk about prayer. The same is true for fasting, reading your Bible, giving or time spent with God. Let us get one thing out of the way. There are no rules. But, like any good relationship, the more time you devote to it, the more you will get out of it.

I realized part of the dream in the Christmas store was that I had more in my bag than I encountered going into the store. Sure, look down your nose, but I have something you want… And in some realm it was like my offering or my sacrifice.

To see so many fast this year, I knew something was “up”. In a nutshell Bible fasts are the giving up of food or water for a period of time and usually giving that time over to God.

I enter His rest that I might not worry or have anxiety. And from that place of rest I get to do amazing things. Not because of compulsion or the dreaded “I have to’s” but simply because I can. Because I want to. Whether it is to give to someone needy. To deliver prayer to the sick. To open my home. To serve. And with that thinking fasting becomes no longer the “I have to” but I can because I want to. (And I know it is good and it provides benefits.)

The empty store. I suspect many have an “empty” life because they have not begun to explore, to examine all the good that God has. (If I worked in a Christmas store I would be psyched!)The shelves might be empty because folks did know the value. I don’t know. But I do know something that brings you “closer” to the Creator can not be a bad thing! Whether you fast, pray, read or meditate will not necessarily keep you from the kingdom. From salvation. But each one of those “I can-because I want to” moments will enhance the life you live. That I can promise. It will add value to an amazing life.

This morning I wrote this. “Stop trading your peace for worry. Your joy for unhappiness. I felt this was a family thought. My parents and Tina’s parents traded a lot of good for a lot of pain. Don’t waste your moments. Pictures are cool, but now is more important. Family is key. Choosing to plug in is more critical than you will ever know. Perhaps you already look at a mistake or something gone by that you may have missed out on because of choice. The key to ‘no regrets’ is to live now. Not in the past or that which is to come, but now. Live. Love. Live More.” I originally wrote that to my family, but I realized it had more to do with the dream. There is joy…and then there is fullness of joy.

You can relegate fasting or prayer to ascetism or you can recognize the value of your relationship and look to what you can do, because you can and not because you must.

Today-choose life!