SHARING BREAD
16 “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.”
Matt
6:16-18 (NIV)
In its simplest form, fasting is to deny oneself - for a
specific period of time - something that one enjoys. It can be as varied as food or television,
movies or the newspaper, drinking or chewing gum, shopping or hunting, sweet
tea or cookies or whatever seems to float our boats. If it is not something we love or enjoy, to
fast from it is actually not a fast but a pleasure! Yet, if it is something we enjoy and do quite
often we are reminded to pray and seek God’s glory continuously. The purpose
behind fasting is to draw attention in prayer to the Most High God every time
our thoughts turn to crave that which we are fasting from. Fasting also provides extra time for prayer,
teaches self-discipline, helps us to subdue corrupt desires, reminds God’s
people that we can live with a lot less and helps us to reflect and appreciate
the abundant provisions from God’s hand. Fasting is also a laudable practice inclining
us towards higher duties.
23 Then he said to them all: “If
anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. 24 For
whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
will save it. 25 What
good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very
self?” Luke 9:23-25 (NIV)
Fasting is a demonstration of piety which is both difficult and
noble. I think it interesting that Jesus
does not say “If” you fast, but rather “When you fast”.
The Israelites were commanded to
fast once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Indeed, Scripture is replete with examples of fasting from David to Queen
Esther to Paul to Barnabas to our Lord Himself and many in-between we see this discipline
set forth – oftentimes prior to major decisions - seeking in prayer to know the
will of God or to strengthen the one fasting for the duty ahead. Jesus fasted prior to His encounter in the
wilderness with the temptation of the adversary:
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be
tempted by the devil. 2 After
fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Matt 4:1-2 (NIV)
“It
costs much to obtain the power of the Spirit:
It costs self-surrender and humiliation and a yielding up of our most
precious things to God; it costs the perseverance of long waiting, and the faith of strong trust.
But when we are really in that power, we shall find this difference,
that whereas before, it was hard for us to do the easiest things, now it is
easy for us to do the hard things.” A J. Gordon
Next, our Lord comes down hard on those fasting for show – religious
hypocrites masking piety - pitifully receiving their full recompense of the
mere praise of men. When we perform acts
for show – for man’s approval - the pay is always worldly in measure and in
full. We need not expect heaven’s
recompense. These imposters who wore
masks had no contrition or humiliation of soul in them which was and is to be the
life and soul of the duty of fasting.
Their fasts were mere mockery for show and not substance.
We are not told how often we are to fast nor directed how to
manage a private fast – it is as the Holy Spirit Who directs the child of the
King as He leads us in our hearts yet we are to take it as a rule that when we
undertake this duty it is to approve ourselves to God and not the opinion of
man:
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one
approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles
the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 (NIV)
We are told, however, by the Lord Jesus that we are to lay
aside the show and appearance of fasting and look pleasant and not martyr- like. We are to look as we do on other days and we
are not to draw attention to our work through our words either. Fasting is to be between God and the one
fasting – their need not be another one in the audience. Fasting is also the humbling of the soul which
is to be our principal care. God’s
omniscience for our witness and the goodness of His reward we will find to be our
greatest blessing.
“Let this be a warning to me, O Lord. Set thou a guard before my eyes, ears, and
other faculties, lest the world again should enter through these avenues of the
heart: if the spark be not speedily
extinguished, it will soon break out into a flame: thus sin is of a progressive nature, and its
venom spreads very quickly and very wide, unless it be stopped and opposed in
time. Watch, therefore, over this
unsteady heart of mine, O thou Keeper of Israel; that as soon as it begins to
wander from thee, I may be alarmed to flee from sin as from a serpent. Give me grace to look upon every hour as my
last; so that being ever wisely upon my guard I may meet thee with joy when my
time is run out, whenever it shall please thee to call me hence.” K. H.
Von Bogatzky
What I glean from this:
· Fasting strengthens
my prayer life, teaches me self-discipline, subdues corrupt desires and gives
me a greater appreciation for all God allows in my life.
· Jesus
teaches me to fast – for my good and His glory.
· My fasting
is to be for an audience of One.
