Yom Kippur In Our Homeschool: Ways Children Participate in Fasting

Shalom shalom, friends!

 Yom Kippur is fast approaching.  Generally a serious day, Jews want everything to be right between themselves and God at this appointed time.  On the Day of Atonement, it is believed that the Book of Life is sealed closed in Heaven, and man's desire is to have his name in the Book of Life before it seals for the year.  Every sin must be atoned for by this day.

As Christians, we also need to observe this day of returning and repentance.  We are to make sure we are aligned with God and His will.  We have more of a joyous day in our home on Yom Kippur.  While we do make sure that we are in teshuvah, or that we have turned to face Yeshua in repentance, we can celebrate because His blood has atoned for our sins and covers us daily!  The Day of Atonement reminds us never to take this precious gift for granted.

This is one of few fasting days the Israelites were (are) required to follow.  Since we have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel, we conform to the Vine and walk through this Holy day while fasting.  This has looked differently over the years.  For some years, I have been heavily nursing an infant.  Last year, I was able to do a full fast.  This year, I am very pregnant.  The key here is to ask the Lord what He would have you fast.  He will show you what He desires of you.  Maybe you've let your tongue run wild and the Lord asks you to be quiet for a day.  Fast voicing every opinion.  Maybe He asks of you a full water fast.  Perhaps He asks you to fast while you make a meal for someone else, or He asks you to not serve yourself in any way for that 24-hour period.  Our obedience is the point.  

Practicing this with kids is not always easy.  We don't allow them any screen time in our home.  I'm not sure fasting sugar for 24 hours would really even be noticed.  How do we show kids the beauty of fasting?

I like to turn to Isaiah 58, and the Lord's model for fasting.

Vs. 6 "Is this not the fast I have chosen:

           To loose the bonds of wickedness,

            To undo the heavy burdens,

            To let the oppressed go free, And 

             that you may break every yoke?

vs. 7    Is it not to share your bread with the

            hungry, And that you bring to your

            house the poor who are cast out;

            When you see the naked, that you

             cover him, And not hide yourself

             from your own flesh?

vs. 8     Then your light shall break forth

             like the morning, Your healing

             shall spring forth speedily,

             And your righteousness shall go

             before you; The glory of the LORD

             shall be your rear guard.

We are not fasting for the sake of fasting.  When we fast in obedience and alignment, then LIGHT breaks forth, healing springs forth, and we gain a front guard of righteousness and a rear guard of God's glory.  Are you in confusion?  Sickness?  Bad cycles?  Addiction?

I have good news, it is time to align to the set times of God and see the salvation of the Lord in the land of the living.  This holds true for children as well.  After all, they don't receive the kids meal version of the Holy Spirit.  Our children can have the full measure of His glory!

A way for children to build the maturity to handle something like a fast is to start with Isaiah 58.  Gather your children around and explain that you all are observing Yom Kippur, and part of that is fasting.  Read Isaiah 58.  Ask them if they have seen any homeless people around town recently.  Then, I gather things to make muffins, breakfast sandwiches, lunch kits, or a full-blown dinner.  The Lord is looking at the heart of what you do here.  He is watching you train up your children in His way.  Have your children assist in the making of the chosen food.  BUT.  There is a rule.  You may not partake in this food you are preparing for others.  Young children do not need to fast food or water.  Give them their own food, so long as it is different.  I'm not sure about your children, but mine will find it a difficult path to forgo a fresh muffin.  In this way, these young children are experiencing fasting in a healthy manner for their ages.  My children will be full, but handing those muffins out really will be a challenge to their flesh.   

The annual cycle of denying our flesh and turning to face Jesus needs to be an appointed memorial day of what our daily life looks like.  These are not only practices for Yom Kippur, but for our daily walk.  Each year on the Day of Atonement, we should be able to notice a positive difference between where we stood last year and where we stand this year.  This is a great time for documenting the measurements of spiritual growth.

When we live in the Hebraic cycles of the Lord, time is like a spiral staircase.  Time is not a line.  Time is a cycle, a circle, a wheel.  Imagine a large tree growing up through the middle of a broad spiral staircase.  Every year is one revolution around this tree, but it also takes you higher up the spiral.  You see different seasons of the tree, you see new leaves and new fruit.  You also see the tree from a higher perspective. Growing closer to the heart of God should give us godly lenses to view our lives and the things of the spirit.  

Our children will learn these truths by observing us and by conversing with us as we sit in our homes, as we walk by the way, as we lie down, and as we rise up.  It starts with us.  It begins with the parents.

A fun tradition we've adopted is breaking our fast with breakfast for dinner.  We start with communion, and then happily feast on quiches, turkey or beef bacon, challah, biscuits, fresh fruit, hashbrown casserole, turkey kielbasa, and orange juice.  We start making our sukkah plans during dinner and have a joyous breaking of our fast, filled with gratitude and praise and maple syrup.  These times have been precious to us, and we know they are precious to our Bridegroom.

Come and join these holy rehearsals.  Yeshua is coming soon, and He is looking for His Bride, ready with her oil to welcome Him in love and joy and obedience.

~Rachel

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