A Day to Fast and Pray: Saturday, April 4 by JULIUS KIM for The Gospel Coalition
Like many of you, I have been grieved and at times afraid as I’ve watched events unfold in our world in recent weeks. In light of what is happening because of COVID-19, we at TGC invite you to join us for a day to fast and pray this Saturday, April 4.
We want to pray to the Lord in faith, trusting in the words of Psalm 10:17: “O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear.”
Why a Day of Prayer and Fasting?
Billions across the world have watched with dread as COVID-19 continues to spread—infecting hundreds of thousands and greatly disrupting the lives of most of the world’s population. Much has already been lost, and the uncertainty of what more can be lost—and when it will stop—leaves people deeply anxious. For many, the scariest feeling of all is helplessness.
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We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
But we worship a mighty and sovereign God who is not helpless. We cry out to him in our distress because he is steadfast and unchanging—a mighty refuge in a world of storms. We pray because, as the apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:6, we ought not be anxious about anything, “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
And why fast as well? As David Kakish writes, “It acknowledges our weakness and reliance on God’s strength as we wait for him to intervene.” So, we fast because it clarifies our pleas as we desperately seek God’s help.
Finally, I believe a day to fast and pray can provide a unifying opportunity for Christians around the world—especially in these days of “distancing” and heightened scattering. On the eve of Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week, we hope this gathering will encourage and bolster the faith of believers everywhere.
