Several weeks ago, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed a proclamation designating Oct. 11 as a “voluntary Day of Prayer, Humility, and Fasting.”
Before his signature Lee asserted that “[Tennesseans] acknowledge God’s sovereignty and the need for God’s grace over our state.” And “the people of Tennessee acknowledge our rich blessings, our deep transgressions, the complex challenges ahead, and the need to pause, to humble ourselves and to seek God’s guidance for the days ahead.”
His inclusion of “fasting,” which is addressed in both the Old and New Testaments, emphasizes the thrust of Lee’s message.
Fasting has not gone unnoticed in commentaries about the practice.
The C.S. Lewis institute, for example, has noted that it “has been recognized as an important way to draw near to God … and seek His help in times of special need.” Indeed, “fasting means going without food, the purpose of which is to earnestly seek God in prayer.”