Fasting

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

So then, I don't have to go without food for 3 days? Sweet!

No, I really don't think that's why the Lord is saying. I believe that the Lord is saying that He doesn't want to see us pretending or acting out our religion. We too easily go to Church, sing songs, say "I'll be praying for you", but at the end of the day, we are still acting the same and nothing has changed. In this passage, people are holding fasts, but still going about their lives of unrighteousness - oppressing the poor, etc.

Not that I go around oppressing people, but I know I'm guilty of selfishness, which I believe is the heart of this problem. Why do people have fasts? To "get" God to do what they want. Why do people treat others badly? To get what they want. At the end of the day, most people are only motivated by selfishness. This is why I have not fasted. I believe a true fast is when you are desperate for God's deliverance. When you are able to truly come before Him broken and humbled, but not expecting anything. If you assume (for lack of better words) that God will deliver you (because you are selfish, not because you have that much faith) then you are doing it wrong. It's like you're going down a checklist of things to try in order to fix the problem. Chances are these Israelites would have begun praying to their idols next if the fast didn't work out. But a true fast is done out of desperation. Plenty of good examples to look up on your own time. (Esther) But God would rather see us do justice instead of fasting. Instead of pretending to be holy, righteous or religious, He would rather see us go and do the things He's been telling us to do. There is a time and a place for a true fast, but I think 9 times out of 10, we're better off living our lives doing these things. If we live like this everyday, I don't think we'd have to have a real fast. I think God would be looking out for us. Maybe we'd fast for justice in the world where we can't go. That's a topic for another day (social justice). God is really big into justice. It's sort of His thing. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't read the Bible or if they did, they need to have their reading skills checked. I reckon God cares more about the orphans, widows, and poor than He does anybody else. He's all about the little guy. So we should be too. We should be living selflessly for others. Doing whatever we can to make the world better for them not for us. And when I say we here, I mean me too. I have a hard time doing these things. Like I said, I get selfish too. I'm not perfect. But, I press on.

Lord, help us to see chances to show true fasting today. Show me places where I can loose the bonds of wickedness and undo straps of the yoke. Show me places where I can free the oppressed and break every yoke. Help me do justice by sharing with the poor and loving all the broken. Show us these opportunities and give us wisdom to recognize the need. Give us courage to fill the need. Guide us towards the needs. Humble us in this way, Lord. Let You work be our delight.


Amen. Amen. Amen.