A few weeks ago, I came across an app for my iTouch, it’s a bible by YouVersion. It’s quite nice and I’ve recommended it to a couple of people.
Inside the app there are reading plans, hundreds of them. I’m doing some Christmas ones and they are fascinating.
A couple of days ago I was reading Day 18 of the Rediscovering The Christmas Season plan; it was about fasting. The author used the text from Isaiah 58:1-14
1 The Lord says, “Shout as loud as you can! Tell my people Israel about their sins! 2 They worship me every day, claiming that they are eager to know my ways and obey my laws. They say they want me to give them just laws and that they take pleasure in worshiping me.”
3 The people ask, “Why should we fast if the Lord never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?” The Lord says to them, “The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.
4 Your fasting makes you violent, and you quarrel and fight. Do you think this kind of fasting will make me listen to your prayers?5 When you fast, you make yourselves suffer; you bow your heads low like a blade of grass and spread out sackcloth and ashes to lie on. Is that what you call fasting? Do you think I will be pleased with that?
6 “The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. 7 t Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.
8 “Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. 9 When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond. “If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word;
10 if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.11 And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never goes dry. 12 Your people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who restored the ruined houses.”
The Reward for Keeping the Sabbath
13 The Lord says, “If you treat the Sabbath as sacred and do not pursue your own interests on that day; if you value my holy day and honor it by not traveling, working, or talking idly on that day,14 then you will find the joy that comes from serving me. I will make you honored all over the world, and you will enjoy the land I gave to your ancestor, Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
I got to thinking about this. Fasting could be interesting. I’ve only HAD to fast before if I was getting blood work done or have surgery. And even then, it was mostly overnight so I didn’t really know the difference of it. Now, I’m going to be honest here, and if you really know me, you know I speak the truth. There is NO way that I’m going to voluntarily not eat. I LOVE eating, I come to parties or get togethers for the food more than the company. I know, I know, the point of fasting is to be refraining from something that is second nature. So this weekend, I’m going to take Sunday and not do something that is second nature. I’m not going to log on to Twitter or Facebook. Now I know that’s not really fasting, but it’s kinda like a diet. I’m going to start with that. Baby steps, right?
I’ll post again to let you all know how it went, but it should be interesting at least. And I’ll have lots more time in my day, since I spend a good part of it on my laptop keeping up with people!
Have a happy weekend everyone, see you on the flip side!
Awesome! That is a good idea, I think I will try that too.