An Invitation to Join a Worldwide Fast

By Skywing Knights // April 9, 2020

Evening everyone,

Feels a little odd to be posting another rather short blog, but I’d like to invite you all, no matter your faith or denomination, to fast with me tomorrow on Good Friday. I’m not going to be the only one doing it – in fact, the fast was prompted by a call from Russell M Nelson, Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is open to people of all faiths and religions.

“For all whose health may permit, let us fast, pray, and unite our faith once again,” President Russell M. Nelson said, in his Saturday evening address. “Let us prayerfully plead for relief from this global pandemic.

“I invite all, including those not of our faith, to fast and pray on Good Friday, April 10. That the present pandemic may be controlled. Caregivers protected. The economy strengthened. And life normalized.”

For a month now, services have ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been hard, lonely even, being apart from friends and missing church meetings. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has disrupted all of our lives. We’ve lost lives and jobs. Economies have been crumbling. Social functions with friends and family have ceased. However, there is one astonishing thing to me. I STILL feel my Savior’s love. And I still feel it, even though we’re not holding church services and all of this is going on. Perhaps even more so right now, during this international outbreak.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said,

“The Spirit is not blocked by a virus or by national boundaries or by medical forecasts.” There are “gifts from heaven that are not limited by trouble in the land or illness in the air… He who created this marvelous world in which we live can say to any of the elements in it: ‘This far and no farther.’

That is what He will say to this blight we are facing. In the presence of His majesty, even subatomic-sized creations must bend—if only figuratively—and each in its own way ‘confess’ that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the great Redeemer of all. Under the direction of His Father, the Savior is in charge of the destiny of this world. We are in very sure and loving hands.”

Over the weekend, I was blessed along with my roommate and millions of others to listen to General Conference, an international broadcast held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints every year in which leaders of the church speak to the world. It brought me such a feeling of love and a desire to rejoice, as it brought and reminded me of the knowledge that even “though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God…” (Job 19:26) “for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Corinthians 15:22)

I know He knows you, each of you, intimately. He knows your fears, your struggles, your shortcomings, your doubts, but also your joys, families, loves, and desires. He wants more than anything to be there for you and for you to find happiness. If we but seek Him, we CAN find Him and Hear Him. And we can do that during this worldwide fast.

In General Conference, Elder and Apostle Dale G. Renlund said this past weekend:

I KNOW the Lord loves to heal, to restore, and to fix even the things that seem broken beyond measure. He’s done it in my life, to my astonishment, my amazement, in ways I never thought possible, relieving my heart of heartache and burdens, so that I can honestly sing, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, confused at the grace that so fully he profers me.” (I Stand All Amazed)

I started this blog post, thinking it would be a short invitation to join me in this worldwide fast… things don’t always turn out how we expect, now do they? Love has a way of doing that I think – changing things into something better. In any case, regardless of your faith, your religion, or anything else, I invite you to join in with this worldwide fast. How? Well… see below! 🙂

I know that God is watching over us, even in times of heartache. I know that Christ lives. He loves us. Christ loves you. He wants to be there for you. All we need do is ask.