40 Days fast

Hey there.. Ramadhan is near
The Malays are fasting, and so am I...

Went to church 2 nights ago, prayed for the country and also different generations,
they are the children, the youths, the young working adults and also the adults.
The church is embarking on a 40 days fast
with the main purpose to pray and fast for the country

After 8 March 2008, I actually hated the newspaper
the media is flooded with overwhelming news and probably rumours about political parties, Menteri Besars, cultural/race discrimination etc
Instead of progressing to be more prosperous and cooperative
I sometimes feel Malaysians (include all races) are degressing
Racial disparity are getting wider
Conversation on cultural diversity can turn controversial (Conversation --> Controversial???)
Why can't some people just take it as a curiosity of the opposite race/religion in getting to know each other more?

OK.. Enough of complaints..
Yep, due to the immense disparity (instead of diversity) stirred by the politicians which eventually labours to intense estrangement to the minority
The church has encouraged Christians to fast and pray for the nation

Fast and pray is not an obligation of a Christian
but rather a voluntary act of submitting your physical and worldly crave to the Lord, to tame your spirit
When we fall for worldly material, we are easily lured and succumbed to temptations
Thus, by fasting, we surrender ourselves to God's strength to sustain our daily life, in short, is called God reliant.

Christians are like normal human being too
When there is a crisis, I would naturally seek my friends and family members for help
but, when everything turns vain
the last resort is God.
But, in the teaching, we are suppose to seek upon God first and trust His decision and way for us to solve the problem.
There are many occasions, when I seek God, the problem seemed to have solved itself automatically
This doesn't mean that Christians need not work and wait for blessings to fall from the sky, it just means that our strength will be renewed and rejuvenated when we come to God and be in his presence everyday

Matthew 6:16-18 declares,
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Tomorrow starts my 40 days fast,
determination and faith needed!!

To my friends who are non-Christian,
this is my opinion on fasting and my life with God,
no insult or despise to other religion is intended.