feasting on the Sabbath...

Today is "Fast Sunday" all over the world, and a day of great spiritual feasting and in turn blessings for believing members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wherever they congregate.

As a life long member I grew up understanding the general idea of fasting but it wasn't actually until severe health issues interfered with my ability to physically fast in a normal way that I really started to appreciate the "Law of the Fast"... Fasting for me today is very different physically than when I was younger and healthy. I am happy to say that fasting is different for me spiritually too... it is much more of a feast because I put so much more of myself into the process.

Beyond fasting, weekly feasting on the Sabbath takes personal effort on the individual's part. Rarely can someone walk into a chapel and passively receive this gift. I know it is possible to feel the spirit passively, for I have had that experience too... but to "feast", one must be an active partaker of that spirit.

I share this Ensign article by Elder C. Elmer Black, “Messages from the Doctrine and Covenants: The Holy Sabbath,” Ensign, Apr 2005, 66–67; as a text to help those that might be looking for such experiences in their lives... Since we will be studying the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History this year I think the article is especially pertinent... As an active member that wants a stronger connection to my Heavenly Father and the Savior I am personally planning to put more effort into my individual study and worship so that the Sabbath becomes a regular feasting day for me, and I can experience a greater personal influence of the Spirit in my life... not the semi-effortless stab at spiritual strength I have sometimes settled for...

A new year is never the only time to make changes... but it can be a time in which we are yearly reminded of new focus, because lesson manuals change nearly every year... At the start of this new year have set a goal to take a greater responsibility for my own spirituality and desire to be fed by the spirit. This year I am not just going to simply put my plate on the table and hope a few crumb fall on it... I am going to ladle on to my plate the gospel courses that we have been given... I am remembering that the number of courses the spirit will fill is only limited by my willingness to dip into each one that is available to me.

The Father and Savior are offering a feast... the question has always been, how much I am willing to eat.