The first 18 verses of Matthew 6 cover three common religious practices: giving to support those in need, prayer, and fasting. Even though Jesus counseled on the proper way to observe these practices, it is clear that He expected everyone to observe these expressions of their religious life.
Of the three, prayer is the least costly and most practiced. Financial giving is also observed to some extent by religious people. When it comes to fasting, one man summed up the general approach when he said, “I’m a slow faster.”
When I was in seminary, one of my professors gave our class a lesson on religious hypocrisy. He presented a scenario where a pastor is up all night at the hospital. He said the last thing we should do is go to the church office all haggard and tired, saying, “I was up all night serving the beloved family and Jesus.”
We can list many more ways that religious people parade their time-consuming and effortful ministry before others, looking for approval. Concerning a difficult spiritual discipline for many Christians, Jesus had this to say about fasting:
“And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
The Value of Fasting
I remember the first time I tried fasting. I skipped breakfast and lunch, planning to eat the evening meal with our family. I gave in to my appetites at 2:00 PM, eating a half-pound hamburger and tots at my favorite drive-in.
Since that disastrous day, I have engaged in fasting for various lengths of time. On these occasions, I eliminated solid food from my diet but drank fruit juice.
The most significant thing I discovered while fasting is how much I think about myself. Some people may have overwhelming spiritual encounters while fasting, but that has not been the case for me. God has used times of fasting to show me my inner condition and how much I need His grace.
One of my best experiences with fasting happened when I learned about the best way to fast from Julio Ruibal. He was a pastor and chiropractor in Cali, Colombia. In 1995, I attended a fasting and prayer event and saw him on stage. I prayed a quick prayer, wishing I could meet him.
The next day, I was seated next to Julio Ruibal with the event’s speakers. Not only did I meet him, but we also prayed together. Sadly, one month later, he was tragically assassinated by someone from the Medellín drug cartel because of his threat to their crimes.
If you plan on fasting, here are some tips that may be helpful. To quickly learn about fasting, start by skipping breakfast and lunch for a day. Eat a light evening meal, and then break your fast the next day with another regular meal.
When you feel hungry, take that moment to say, “God, I am hungry for you.” Ask God to help you not to get grumpy or grouchy, since not eating can affect your mood.
The key to fasting is to follow Jesus’s guidance. First, we should have regular times for fasting. Second, we should fast to please God, not to show off to others.
Our Heavenly Audience
I don’t remember where I was, but I still remember a statement that has stuck with me for quite some time. The speaker, talking about a lady he knew, said, “She may be invisible on earth but she is famous in heaven.”
Let’s apply that to the three disciplines Jesus mentions in this chapter. If we give anonymously, without anyone knowing, we may be invisible here, but heaven will notice.
Our prayers, unheard by anyone except our heavenly Father, will be noticed by Him and answered. The same goes for fasting. Others may not see that we’re fasting, but God does, and He will work in our lives. In my case, fasting might show me how much I need God.
Regardless, all these acts unseen by people are very visible to God.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 