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ROB BELL

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EASTER CAMP

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We are in a season of Lent at the moment. That is the period of 40 days, excluding Sundays, stretching from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Lent is a time for self-reflection and reflection on what Christ did for humanity at Easter in his death and resurrection.

In that context Christians often fast, imitating in small ways, Christ’s 40 days of fasting in the desert. A wonderful older woman I know found a beautiful passage about Lent and fasting on a Benedictine website. I have converted it into a prayer, which is set out below:

• to fast from judging others and to feast on the Christ dwelling in them,

• to fast from emphasis on difference but to feast on the unity of life,

• to fast from apparent darkness and to feast on the reality of light,

• to fast from thoughts of illness and to feast on the healing power of God,

• to fast from words that pollute and to feast on phrases that purify,

• to fast from discontent and to feast on gratitude,• to fast from anger and to fast on patience,• to fast from pessimism and to feast on optimism,• to fast from worry and to feast on divine order,• to fast from complaining and to feast on appreciation,• to fast from negatives and to feast on affirmatives,

• to fast from unrelenting pressures and to feast on unceasing prayer,

• to fast from hostility and to feast on non-resistance,• to fast from bitterness and to feast on forgiveness,• to fast from self-concern and to feast on compassion

for others,• to fast from personal anxiety and to feast on eternal truth,• to fast from discouragements and to feast on hope• to fast from lethargy and to feast on enthusiasm,• to fast from thoughts that weaken and to feast on the

promises that inspire,• to fast from shadows of sorrow and to feast on the sunlight

of serenity,• to fast from idle gossip and to feast on purposeful silence.Check out James’ blog on God in secular culture at jamescolemanblog.wordpress.com

Lord help me: