Fasting To Find Favor

433 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 3:35-37, “And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else til the sun goes down!" 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner.” Let's spend a little time today talking about fasting. It's one of the three spiritual disciplines of the Christian that Jesus spoke of in the sermon on the mount, the others being prayer, and giving to the poor. (See MT 6:1-18) Most of the time our fasting should be done quietly and privately, but there are times when it is appropriate to fast publicly. In this instance, those attending the wake for Abner seek to persuade David to have something to eat, but he refuses, announcing that he is fasting until sundown. This fasting tells everyone that the death of Abner mattered to David. He was genuinely sorrowful over his loss. His fasting had a powerful impact on all of Israel. They could see clearly that it was not David's intent to slay Abner. But I think there is more at work here. We are told TWICE in this passage that the people were “pleased” with David. The Hebrew word means that he was pleasing to their eyes,” in other words, he found favor with the people. This is not an isolated example of such favor finding due to fasting found in Scripture. When Esther desired a favor from the king, she asked the people to fast on her behalf, guess what happened when she approached and made her request? He replied, "Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said." (Est 5:5) Are you in a situation where you need to find favor? Maybe it's a job interview, or a situation with a landlord, maybe even a relationship that needs shoring up. Have you tried fasting? Have you tried denying yourself food for a short period of time, in order to invite the persuasive power of God into your situation? Father, thank You for this powerful tool of fasting that You have made available to your children, may we learn to use it wisely.