What do you think of when you hear about fasting? Do you picture people giving up candy, coffee, or YouTube videos for Lent? For some, that’s what fasting means.
Others take it even further, choosing not to eat any food or drink certain liquids during specific times. That’s a more typical idea of fasting.
Here’s what Isaiah said to those who fasted in his time:
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord? (Isaiah 58:5)
I believe fasting as described in verse 5 has real value. Thirty years ago, I took part in a long fast and discovered this. For 30 days, I only consumed juiced vegetables, about 1,000 calories a day.
In the first 10 days, all I could think was, “I’m not eating.” During the next 10 days, I started to feel a sense of God’s presence. In the last 10 days, my focus shifted to, “I’ll get to eat again soon.”
The main lesson I learned during this fasting period was how self-centered I am. I’m not being falsely modest when I say the main thing I learned about myself is how much I think about myself.
This realization was valuable and worth the time, but it was very different from what I expected. I thought I’d have a profound spiritual connection with God, especially since I was fasting for 30 days. But that didn’t happen.
A Fast Approved by God
There was another type of fast that God wanted his people to follow:
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
and not to hide yourself from your own kin? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
Going without food for 30 days is tough, but following God’s directions can be even harder.
Setting free those captured by injustice and oppression, breaking unfair systems, sharing bread with the hungry, finding homes for the homeless, and being there for those who need us can be more challenging.
During my 30-day fast, my lifestyle changed for a month. I lost some weight but gained a few pounds of spiritual pride. I thought I was closer to God because I completed this religious exercise that few people undertake.
However, the fasting described by Isaiah is different. It’s about a daily lifestyle commitment to helping those in need, not just a 30-day experiment.
I saw a friend the other day and told him how much I appreciate his work helping others. For a long time, he has been dedicated to aiding the unhoused in Kansas City.
Instead of a top-down approach, he’d buy lunch and sit with homeless people to share a meal. He also found ways to get them clothing, backpacks, and other needed items, all while boosting their self-esteem.
If we could or would multiply this man’s efforts and those like him in our communities, we would see the results God mentioned through Isaiah the prophet:
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in. (Isaiah 58:8-9, 12)
I remember hearing an interview between a late-night talk show host and President Lyndon Johnson. Johnson made an interesting point. He said, “Everyone knows we have problems. The question is, how do we solve these problems?”
When we look at the world, it’s easy to see it has big issues. But figuring out how to fix them is tough.
The Bible offers some guidance on solving problems in Isaiah. It says that if we follow God’s directions, our light will shine like the dawn, we’ll be healed, see God’s glory, have our prayers answered, and the ancient ruins will be rebuilt.
I think it would be wonderful if we tried to follow those directions today.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 