Prayer and fasting are the mainstays of 40 Days for Life. We’re all probably comfortable with praying. We pray at church, at home before meals, and at bedtime. We may make an urgent plea for help during the day or pray for a loved one. But I would guess that few of us fast on a regular basis. In fact, we may think that fasting is for the more religious; however, fasting should be a regular part of our relationship with God. There are several reasons why:
Looking at Matthew 6, we see that Jesus follows up His Sermon on the Mount with three things a Christian should do. Matthew 6:2-4 talks about how you should give. Matthew 6:5-15 addresses how you should pray. And, Matthew 6:16-18 speaks about how you should fast. The rest of Chapter 6 refers to things you should NOT do.
Still, you may be skeptical that fasting is for you. In Matthew 4 we see that Jesus sets the example by going into the desert and fasting for forty days and forty nights in preparation for His ministry. Luke 6:40: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (NIV) Therefore, since He fasted, we should fast.
David also fasted and prayed. Psalm 42:3 “Day and night I have only tears for food” (NLT). Daniel is another example of someone who fasted. Daniel and his friends decided not to eat the king’s food and drink the king’s wine. God honored this partial fast. In Daniel 1, verse 17, “God gave knowledge and understanding to those four young men. So they understood all kinds of writings and subjects. And Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.” (NIV) God was pleased that Daniel fasted, and He will be pleased when we fast.
According to Jentezen Franklin, “Biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose” (Fasting, p 9). Biblical fasting has everything to do with intent. We can go without food for a meal, for a day, or even longer, but that is not necessarily fasting in the spiritual sense. Jesus, David and Daniel demonstrate that we can fast in different ways and for different lengths of time. But their fasting was done in conjunction with prayer, not just a random act.
2 Chronicles 7:14 :”If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven; and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 40 Days for Life is a 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil.
40 Days for Life seeks God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, bringing an end to abortion. As we prepare to join other cities in our nation to humble ourselves and pray for God to protect unborn children, let us also pray about what type of fasting each one of us has been called to do.
Franklin, Jentezen. “Fasting.” Charisma House, 2008. Chapter 1.
August 13, 2010
What's in a name?
It's a little play on words. Allow me to explain:
In 1969, Alexander Calder built a sculpture that has come to symbolize the city of Grand Rapids. It's used on our city logo, on our streetsigns, and on our sewer caps. He titled his sculpture La Grande Vitesse, which means "the grand swiftness" or, more loosely, "grand rapids". [If you follow the link on the photo of this sculpture in the sidebar, you can learn more about Calder's work.]
In 1995, Pope John Paul the Great published a letter addressed to all people of goodwill titled Evangelium Vitae, the Gospel of Life, in which he calls for the building of a culture of life.
LIFE. We are going to spend 40 days, from Sept.22 thru Oct.31, praying & fasting for an end to abortion in this city. We want this end to come swiftly, yet we know that we must cooperate with God's plan in carrying out this end. We also know that the end of abortion is actually a beginning.
And so we pray, peacefully, silently, trusting that God is at work...even in places like 320 E. Fulton St.
We are called to build the culture of life not with our hands, not with metal, nor by any effort on our part. We are going to build this culture of life one prayer at a time, one person at a time, one life at a time.
My apologies to any linguists who may be reading this blog. I'm melding a French nominative phrase with a Latin genitive (the title technically translates as "the grand...of life"). You'll have to excuse the pun.
Grand Rapids 40 Days for Life simply wants to convey the truth: Life is Grand. Life is Good. Life, in fact, is SACRED.
The mothers who bring their children to 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The staff who work at 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The children who perish at 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The city that ignores 320 E. Fulton needs our prayers.
God bless Grand Rapids: May the end to abortion here come swiftly and rapidly and finally!
God bless you, dear readers of this blog: May the Lord enter your life and reveal something Grand, something Good, something Sacred.
God bless our efforts: May they please the Lord at all times~
In 1969, Alexander Calder built a sculpture that has come to symbolize the city of Grand Rapids. It's used on our city logo, on our streetsigns, and on our sewer caps. He titled his sculpture La Grande Vitesse, which means "the grand swiftness" or, more loosely, "grand rapids". [If you follow the link on the photo of this sculpture in the sidebar, you can learn more about Calder's work.]
In 1995, Pope John Paul the Great published a letter addressed to all people of goodwill titled Evangelium Vitae, the Gospel of Life, in which he calls for the building of a culture of life.
LIFE. We are going to spend 40 days, from Sept.22 thru Oct.31, praying & fasting for an end to abortion in this city. We want this end to come swiftly, yet we know that we must cooperate with God's plan in carrying out this end. We also know that the end of abortion is actually a beginning.
And so we pray, peacefully, silently, trusting that God is at work...even in places like 320 E. Fulton St.
We are called to build the culture of life not with our hands, not with metal, nor by any effort on our part. We are going to build this culture of life one prayer at a time, one person at a time, one life at a time.
My apologies to any linguists who may be reading this blog. I'm melding a French nominative phrase with a Latin genitive (the title technically translates as "the grand...of life"). You'll have to excuse the pun.
Grand Rapids 40 Days for Life simply wants to convey the truth: Life is Grand. Life is Good. Life, in fact, is SACRED.
The mothers who bring their children to 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The staff who work at 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The children who perish at 320 E. Fulton need our prayers.
The city that ignores 320 E. Fulton needs our prayers.
God bless Grand Rapids: May the end to abortion here come swiftly and rapidly and finally!
God bless you, dear readers of this blog: May the Lord enter your life and reveal something Grand, something Good, something Sacred.
God bless our efforts: May they please the Lord at all times~
July 25, 2010
Fruits of prayer
Right to Life of Michigan has the following news to report:
The number of abortions performed in Michigan decreased in 2009, according to recently released statistics from the Michigan Department of Community Health. The report from the Michigan Department of Community Health states that 22,357 abortions were performed in Michigan during 2009 compared to 25,970 Michigan abortions reported in 2008, a drop of 13.9 percent or 3,613 abortions. Since 1987, there has been a 54.4 percent decrease in the number of abortions performed in Michigan annually. Abortions in Michigan have decreased in four of the last six years and the number of abortions performed in 2009 represents the lowest annual total of reported abortions in Michigan since abortion providers were required to start reporting information in 1979.
Pray in thanksgiving for this decrease and continue to ask God that more women choose life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for their children.
The number of abortions performed in Michigan decreased in 2009, according to recently released statistics from the Michigan Department of Community Health. The report from the Michigan Department of Community Health states that 22,357 abortions were performed in Michigan during 2009 compared to 25,970 Michigan abortions reported in 2008, a drop of 13.9 percent or 3,613 abortions. Since 1987, there has been a 54.4 percent decrease in the number of abortions performed in Michigan annually. Abortions in Michigan have decreased in four of the last six years and the number of abortions performed in 2009 represents the lowest annual total of reported abortions in Michigan since abortion providers were required to start reporting information in 1979.
Pray in thanksgiving for this decrease and continue to ask God that more women choose life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for their children.
April 02, 2010
New Life
Spring has arrived in all its glory and fullness with such enjoyably long days of sunshine warming the plants, instigating the buzz of bees and the nightly symphony of peepers, and rousing within us the desire to go outside and praise God for the marvels he has wrought.
Let us praise God for the LIFE he creates!
Let us stand at 320 offering a chorus of praises in union with the angels-- let's praise God for the gift of every child, especially the souls who will not be received as gifts, as cherished beauty--
let's stand not in mourning but exaltation that so great a God, so magnanimous and generous, would still bend low and hear our prayer in spite of our sinful disgracefulness. Let us offer to the Lord hearts full of joy that we are so beloved of God who formed us, who calls us forward, who hands us a future bright with hope if only we accept these gifts with as much generosity as they are bestowed.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!
O, my soul, praise Him, for he is our health and salvation!
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do...
Join us in glad adoration at 320 as often as you are able, as often as you feel called, and especially join us this autumn as we stand once more with citizens everywhere in praying for an end to abortion.
Let us praise God for the LIFE he creates!
Let us stand at 320 offering a chorus of praises in union with the angels-- let's praise God for the gift of every child, especially the souls who will not be received as gifts, as cherished beauty--
let's stand not in mourning but exaltation that so great a God, so magnanimous and generous, would still bend low and hear our prayer in spite of our sinful disgracefulness. Let us offer to the Lord hearts full of joy that we are so beloved of God who formed us, who calls us forward, who hands us a future bright with hope if only we accept these gifts with as much generosity as they are bestowed.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!
O, my soul, praise Him, for he is our health and salvation!
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do...
Join us in glad adoration at 320 as often as you are able, as often as you feel called, and especially join us this autumn as we stand once more with citizens everywhere in praying for an end to abortion.
March 26, 2010
What's the point?
Some of you might wonder in the back of your heads at intervals, "What's the point of standing here? Is this really accomplishing anything?"
David Bereit addressed this concern on the 40 DFL national blog today where relates the story of a taxi driver who pulled over to tell the prayer vigilantes in Providence, RI that they truly make a difference:
The driver went on to explain that he'd been seeing
people praying outside the facility for a few years.
"Sometimes there's just one," he said. "I don't like
that, when one of you is left alone."
It made this man think. "I asked myself why anyone
would come out in the rain, the snow, the heat, the
night, the morning -- even when you're alone, and even
when people were mean to you. I figured what you were
doing meant something big. Why else would you do it?"
The regular prayer presence, and the sign he often saw
with a scripture passage -- "Before I formed you in the
womb, I knew you" -- made a deep impression.
"What you do, standing and praying and holding that
sign, standing no matter what -- that is enough," he said.
"It speaks for itself. That's the message. It's true."
So take heart, dear friends. Sometimes standing and praying speaks louder than words, letters, protests, or logic ever could. When we stand, we stand with the One who has known and loved us before we were in the womb. We stand with people in Providence, RI and hundreds of other cities.
This Saturday, as you pray at 320, recall what Christ did for each of these children, for each of the staff, for each of the mothers, and for each of us. Recall who stands with you and give thanks~
David Bereit addressed this concern on the 40 DFL national blog today where relates the story of a taxi driver who pulled over to tell the prayer vigilantes in Providence, RI that they truly make a difference:
The driver went on to explain that he'd been seeing
people praying outside the facility for a few years.
"Sometimes there's just one," he said. "I don't like
that, when one of you is left alone."
It made this man think. "I asked myself why anyone
would come out in the rain, the snow, the heat, the
night, the morning -- even when you're alone, and even
when people were mean to you. I figured what you were
doing meant something big. Why else would you do it?"
The regular prayer presence, and the sign he often saw
with a scripture passage -- "Before I formed you in the
womb, I knew you" -- made a deep impression.
"What you do, standing and praying and holding that
sign, standing no matter what -- that is enough," he said.
"It speaks for itself. That's the message. It's true."
So take heart, dear friends. Sometimes standing and praying speaks louder than words, letters, protests, or logic ever could. When we stand, we stand with the One who has known and loved us before we were in the womb. We stand with people in Providence, RI and hundreds of other cities.
This Saturday, as you pray at 320, recall what Christ did for each of these children, for each of the staff, for each of the mothers, and for each of us. Recall who stands with you and give thanks~
March 21, 2010
Pray for Congress
As the Senate bills come up for vote, with so much hanging in the balance, it seems only a miracle could change the outcome when such a concerted effort is being made on the part of those who promote abortions no matter what the will of the people indicates.
We merely have recourse to a just God, a loving God who sees all and hears the prayers of a just people.We can submit ourselves more faithfully to the will of God in this time in our nation's history, and in doing so, we fulfill the purpose for which we have been created by that same loving God.
We can pray that our elected representatives in Congress will seek to fulfill the purpose for which they have been created, that they will seek justice for all, will seek to defend the dignity and rights of all, will seek the health, wellbeing, and care of all. Our president recently affirmed this truth, however misplaced and myopic it sounds coming from him: "It's a debate about the character of our country -- about whether we can still meet the challenges of our time, whether we still have the guts and the courage to give every citizen, not just some, the chance to reach their dreams."
I couldn't have framed the question better myself...do we as a nation have the courage to give every citizen the chance to reach their dreams? We must pray that regardless of the outcome of this vote, citizens will continue to seek the protection of the rights and dignity and very lives of their fellow citizens: those in the womb, those who do not value human dignity, and those who stand, like each one of us do, in sinfulness, in need of mercy, in need of loving, cherishing respect and forgiveness.
Pray for the members in Congress who believe every citizen has the right to live, and pray especially for those who deny this right. May God have mercy on us all!
We merely have recourse to a just God, a loving God who sees all and hears the prayers of a just people.We can submit ourselves more faithfully to the will of God in this time in our nation's history, and in doing so, we fulfill the purpose for which we have been created by that same loving God.
We can pray that our elected representatives in Congress will seek to fulfill the purpose for which they have been created, that they will seek justice for all, will seek to defend the dignity and rights of all, will seek the health, wellbeing, and care of all. Our president recently affirmed this truth, however misplaced and myopic it sounds coming from him: "It's a debate about the character of our country -- about whether we can still meet the challenges of our time, whether we still have the guts and the courage to give every citizen, not just some, the chance to reach their dreams."
I couldn't have framed the question better myself...do we as a nation have the courage to give every citizen the chance to reach their dreams? We must pray that regardless of the outcome of this vote, citizens will continue to seek the protection of the rights and dignity and very lives of their fellow citizens: those in the womb, those who do not value human dignity, and those who stand, like each one of us do, in sinfulness, in need of mercy, in need of loving, cherishing respect and forgiveness.
Pray for the members in Congress who believe every citizen has the right to live, and pray especially for those who deny this right. May God have mercy on us all!
March 01, 2010
Pray for those who persecute you
If you follow this link, you will find a list of all the abortionists in this country.
I can't think of a better way to spend your Saturday vigils than to offer up prayers for these fellows and all those who staff the places where they work, places like 320 E. Fulton. Pray that the scales may fall from their eyes, just as they fell from the eyes of Abby Johnson.
So far in the spring 40 Days, there have been 108 children saved by your prayers, your humbling yourselves before the Lord, and seeking His face.
I can't think of a better way to spend your Saturday vigils than to offer up prayers for these fellows and all those who staff the places where they work, places like 320 E. Fulton. Pray that the scales may fall from their eyes, just as they fell from the eyes of Abby Johnson.
So far in the spring 40 Days, there have been 108 children saved by your prayers, your humbling yourselves before the Lord, and seeking His face.
February 21, 2010
Lent is fast upon us
Yesterday I went to 320 for my first Saturday of prayer on behalf of the children in the womb, their mothers and families, and all those who will influence the outcome of what happens to their precious young lives.
I contemplated anew the moment when Jesus meets his mother on the via dolorosa.
Jesus, more than any other human being, identifies with the children aborted every week in Grand Rapids. He knows each one of them intimately, for he fashioned each one of them in the womb; he knows what it's like to suffer at the hands of those who find your life an encumbrance to their plans; he knows what it's like to die despised, to bleed without solace, to be discarded by those you have come into the world to love.
What will it be like when those children, crucified in the womb, meet their mothers? We pray that such a meeting in heaven will be possible. We pray that the Lord wash over these women His love and mercy. We pray that they may heal from the wound their choices made. We pray that they may embrace their child with love, with tender hearts, with love of Jesus written in their hearts eternally.
We, more than many other human beings, can stand in union with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Like her, we watch this endless series of crucifixions, limited but not powerless to change the outcome. We stand in prayer, sorrowful, hopeful, maternal prayer, knowing that with God all things are possible.
Please stand with us each Saturday in Lent, as we join cities across this nation, praying and fasting for an end to abortion at 320 E. Fulton, and in every place that God has prepared for Life to thrive and dwell with Him forever.
I contemplated anew the moment when Jesus meets his mother on the via dolorosa.
Jesus, more than any other human being, identifies with the children aborted every week in Grand Rapids. He knows each one of them intimately, for he fashioned each one of them in the womb; he knows what it's like to suffer at the hands of those who find your life an encumbrance to their plans; he knows what it's like to die despised, to bleed without solace, to be discarded by those you have come into the world to love.
What will it be like when those children, crucified in the womb, meet their mothers? We pray that such a meeting in heaven will be possible. We pray that the Lord wash over these women His love and mercy. We pray that they may heal from the wound their choices made. We pray that they may embrace their child with love, with tender hearts, with love of Jesus written in their hearts eternally.
We, more than many other human beings, can stand in union with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Like her, we watch this endless series of crucifixions, limited but not powerless to change the outcome. We stand in prayer, sorrowful, hopeful, maternal prayer, knowing that with God all things are possible.
Please stand with us each Saturday in Lent, as we join cities across this nation, praying and fasting for an end to abortion at 320 E. Fulton, and in every place that God has prepared for Life to thrive and dwell with Him forever.
November 02, 2009
Your perpetual light
The vigil ended quietly into the wee hour before All Souls Day.
Jane and I stood with our candles, praying that the Lord will establish peace at 320.
Peace and healing for the mothers who will taste the bitterness of a horrid choice.
Peace and new life for the children they have killed.
We also prayed in thanksgiving for the blessings of our vigil:
We had more night coverage than ever before, more non-Catholic churchgoers than ever before, more reports of lives saved than in years past.
We outlasted our friends holding their protest signs as we lovingly, silently prayed.
I hope everyone who came will continue to enter more deeply into the love of Christ.
Glory be to God, now and forever, and unto ages of ages!
Jane and I stood with our candles, praying that the Lord will establish peace at 320.
Peace and healing for the mothers who will taste the bitterness of a horrid choice.
Peace and new life for the children they have killed.
We also prayed in thanksgiving for the blessings of our vigil:
We had more night coverage than ever before, more non-Catholic churchgoers than ever before, more reports of lives saved than in years past.
We outlasted our friends holding their protest signs as we lovingly, silently prayed.
I hope everyone who came will continue to enter more deeply into the love of Christ.
Glory be to God, now and forever, and unto ages of ages!
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