Daniel Fast (Day Four)

This morning I woke up, more exhausted than usual, but to my delight with a dream on my mind. I had another dream last night, and this time it was about my friend Dana. Dana is someone whom I have been praying for some time now. I met her almost four years ago during my time at Emory and Henry, and although we both left after one semester, we have remained good friends since then. You know those people, that when you meet them you just connect as if you have known each other your entire lives? Well that was Dana. However, soon after we got to know each other she became very sick. After about a year of many doctor's visits, tests, and even a specialized diet, she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. The tick bite was a few years ago and Dana is now experiencing debilitating symptoms of later-stage LD. She suffers from severe headaches, painful arthritis and swelling of joints. In time it may also lead to cardiac abnormalities, and central nervous system involvement leading to cognitive (mental) disorders. Before she would become very ill we would try to see each other about every other month. It's been almost two years since I have seen her now. She has been bed-ridden most of the time.

Through all this suffering, Dana's faith is stronger than most. Her positive attitude constantly amazes me. One of her texts recently read, It's rough but I keep thinking of what Christ did on the cross, which no way can compare to this. So that's just getting me through. I hope you are doing well and just stay out of the woods and don't get Lyme!

If anyone had reason to make excuses for not following the Lord and trusting Him completely, Dana would be one of them. But she doesn't make excuses. And none of us are entitled to make excuses. In Luke, Jesus speaks about the cost of following him:

To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-62 ESV)

In this passage, those following him are making excuses for why they cannot follow Christ immediately. It's easy for me to wake up on mornings like today and think to myself, "Lord, I just can't wake up and serve you right now." I'd rather complain about how exhausted I am, how bad my head hurts, my terrible cough that won't go away..and oh yeah, the fact that I won't taste REAL food for another 17 days! To me, that looks like enough sacrifice to allow me to go back to bed and not spend time with the Lord. But having a friend like Dana and being reminded of the suffering she has faced for so long makes me so thankful that although it's tough, at least i have the energy to get out of bed and live a pretty normal lifestyle. She not only suffers, but seeks the Lord as her strength in her time of weakness.

I thank the Lord for the humbling reminder, that as Dana would say, "nothing compares to what Christ did on the cross." If we were to all wake up with the cross on our minds, we would all be more humble and thankful. And I bet we would all be willing to suffer more for Christ, without so much complaining. So as I continue this fast, I remember my friend Dana and the sacrifices she makes for her Savior each day, allowing her testimony of faith to live on. And that reminds me of Christ's greatest sacrifice of all, himself, so that we have the privilege of following Him. It's a privilege we spend too much time making excuses for not taking. What is your excuse today?