Fast
Matthew 6:16-18 “When
you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their
faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received
their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your
face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only
to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you.”
IN a similar context to Matthew 6:5-10 where Jesus’ sermon
point is to pray with your words focused toward God, Jesus preaches that
fasting must also be a God-centered spiritual discipline. But most of us
probably pay little attention to his words because we don’t fast. Should we?
I don’t know.
Should you? Fasting, to forego one meal a day, all meals in one day, or a
certain food for a period of time can be a good way to get centered on Jesus.
The act of self-denial helps us to learn how to resist temptations, and we also
understand more clearly the abundance of our lives when we stop consuming the
abundance.
But fasting should
never be a public demonstration. As with prayer, some people of Jesus’ day made
a big deal of their fasting. They wanted to let people know how righteous they
were. Instead, they showed their ignorance. They dishonored God, and they
received the full “reward” of judgment.
If you’ve never
experienced fasting, perhaps it would be a good and new experience for you. Don’t
do it to lose weight or to eat “healthy” for a while. Fast to focus on God, to
seek his direction for your life and to submit to the Holy Spirit instead of
your own desires.
LIFE Link: Hunger to live in God’s will.
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