Letter to the Congregations: 28th February 2026

Our Dear Brethren,

Last week I asked the congregations I help care for to pick a day to fast and pray, especially as we approach another Passover, and the fact that many of God’s people are facing challenges right now. I know there are already many of us who fast and pray regularly independently, but sometimes it is a good idea to fast and pray together. This fast wasn’t for any particular reason except that we might put our personal cares aside and hopefully draw closer to our God. By fasting together hopefully we can also draw a little closer to each other as well.

How was your fast?

Sometimes we gauge the effectiveness of something challenging by how challenging it actually is. Fasting is sometimes measured this way on a personal level. But the physically challenging aspect of a fast is not what makes it effective. Anyone can go without food for a period of time, whether on purpose or out of circumstances. I’ve known some people who don’t feel hungry unless they fast for longer than a day, and I’ve known some people who struggle to fast longer than half a day because of their personal health situation. Each of us are going to have our own level of physical and mental struggle when it comes to setting aside a period of fast.

So how can we all gauge the effectiveness of a fast? Of course we can only truly do this on a personal level. To do this we must look to the Word of God. There are two passages that always come to my mind when I think of the effectiveness of a fast. Both have to do with the power and effectiveness of humbly drawing close to God:

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:7-10).

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke” (Isaiah 58:6)?

When you read these passages and think about the effectiveness of your most recent fast, what do you find? Do you find that you were able, through humbling yourself physically, to draw closer to God? Were you able to begin to loose the bonds of wickedness and sin in your life? Were you able to focus on prayer and fasting rather than your usual distractions? Remember this is very personal. We can’t gauge the effectiveness of our connection with God based on someone else’s experience.

How was your fast?

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle

Pastor, United Church of God

NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe