Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Divine Starvation.

“He indicated to me my fast should be ended, so I asked how I should end it. He told me to drink squirrel soup. After I had taken the squirrel soup, I told him it didn’t taste good and asked if I could have some milk and bread. The Lord told me I couldn’t have solid food yet as it would kill me…”

- Jackson Whitlow, on his call from the Lord to end his 52-day fast, 1937.

The 45-year-old Cumberland mountains trapper began his fast because God told him to. This request followed the Lord’s orders for Whitlow to sell his pigs and give the money to the poor. The pig sale certainly made the fast easier, without all that tempting pork roaming outside the window.

Whitlow’s fast got off to a rough start: “The day after I started in, I took a little potato soup without grease. That taught me my lesson. I nearly died, it made me so sick. That was just the Lord punishing me for my disobedience.” During the course of the fast, Whitlow lost more than 35 pounds.

Once he was given permission to sip squirrel soup, Whitlow felt great relief: “I’m mighty happy it’s all over.” But while the Lord told him to eat, He never explained Himself. “The Lord’s divine purpose has not been revealed to me yet, but it will be before long. Maybe he wants me to preach, if He does, I’m ready.”

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