Man can, at times, readily recognize problems that arise, but often initially reacts with solutions to remove the problem out of sight. As the disciples looked out over the multitude in today’s passage, they saw thousands in a desert place with a lack of provisions. They quickly viewed what seemed to them as an insurmountable problem. As evening approached, they came to the Lord and suggested that He send the people away. The disciples were more comfortable with the problem if it was out of sight, out of mind, and not theirs to face. Their suggestion was an unacceptable solution. For this reason, the Lord put the problem back upon the disciples when He said to them, “Give ye them to eat” (Mark 6:37). In other words, the problem would not go away or solve itself. The Lord directed the disciples to find a solution and their turning a blind eye was completely unacceptable.
Fasting should play a prominent role in the life of a Christian. Just as believers ought to pray, witness, study, and give, we should also fast. In fact, the Lord's words assumed the Christian would fast when He said, “when ye fast” (Matthew 6:16), not IF ye fast. The question was never to be whether or not we would fast, but how we would do so “when” we fast. Fasting was not prominent among the disciples, but the Lord explained that His departure would signify an elevated need for fasting (Mark 2:20). The life of the apostle Paul confirmed this as he said he was “in fastings often” (2 Corinthians 11:27). It was a common practice of Paul’s devotion to the Lord to deprive his flesh of food, drink, and physical pleasures. The Lord not only desired for the early believers to fast, but His people ought to have times of fasting until He returns.
