Doug Van Pelt

TFK = Chevelle

Isaiah 58 is headlined "True Fasting" (at least in my Collegiate Devotional Bible). And God talks about the types of fasting that His people have been doing. God asks a rhetorical question:

"'Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?'"

The obvious answer is, "No."
God goes on to provide the kind of fast He wants (and it's also posed as a question):

"'Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter --
when you see the naked,
to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?'"

Then He makes a promise of the resultant fast:

"'Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call,
and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help,
and He will say: 'Here am I.'"

Wow. That's the kind of stuff I want.
Then He further points out instructions to achieve this:

"'If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.'"

Spending yourself in behalf of the hungry. That phrase says it all, doesn't it? And what is so cool about "spending yourself" on others is that God provides your strength. He re-invigorates us. He sustains us and "recharges" us. We needn't worry about our own resources when we're doing this, as He provides. Wow.

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at July 28, 2005 09:31 AM