Note to Readers...

Dear Friends,

Although the contents of this blog have been preserved below, new postings to this blog ended on January 3, 2011. But please checkout my new blog: "Embracing Jesus."

April

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Fast - but fast in secret

Jesus teaches us to fast, but to fast in secret

Matthew 6:16-18 16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Do we ignore Jesus' teaching to fast in secret?

Note: Fasting means not eating or working.  Fasting occurs throughout the Bible to confess sins, ask for healing, petition God, or to remember through God's eyes.  But even in the Old Testament, God accuses humanity of fasting to be heard by him, but not to listen to him.  If they had listened (Zec 7:9-10), then God tells them they would have heard him say to administer justice; show mercy and compassion, stop oppressing the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor, etc. They refused to listen to God, so he refused to pay attention to their fasts.  In Isaiah 58:1-7, God says fasting results in loosening the chains of injustice and untying the cords of the yoke, setting the oppressed free, breaking every yoke, sharing your food with the hungry, providing the poor wanderer with shelter, clothing the naked, not turning away from your own flesh and blood.  Then God will hear us.  True fasting seeks direction from God not to be heard.  Jesus commands us to fast and to fast in secret so that it is just between us and God.

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