The Acceptable Fast
Category : Lent Devotions
Isaiah 58:1-14
1“Cry aloud; do not hold back;
lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
they delight to draw near to God.
3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 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 him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 And 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 dwell in.
13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
14 then you shall take delight in the Lord,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A long time ago, as a young believer I had sought God for admission into a certain school. Before this time, I had failed on a previous attempt to secure an offer into another school despite having met the basic requirement. Desirous not to fail this second time, I took the matter to God in prayer and for the first time in my life I joined my parents in their routine monthly fast. They must have been surprised to see me join in the fast because before this time none of us children ever cared to join in. We never understood why they chose to put aside some days in the month to abstain from food and seek God.
A few months later the list of successful applicants into the school was published in a national daily. Hurriedly I approached a nearby newspaper vendor. As I left the vendor and return home, I felt somewhat disappointed – my name was not on the list; I thought I had fasted in vain. However, thanks be to God, the list in the daily was incomplete! My name appeared in another publication afterwards.
The bible text today shows us a template for godly fast. The prophet Isaiah points rebellious Israel to the basic requirement for requests to be heard on high which is true repentance. For us today, this basic requirement is needful if we are to be effective in our walk with God. In one account in the New Testament, there was the need for effectiveness in the ministry of Jesus’ disciples (Matt. 17:17-21). Before this time, they had been given authority over sicknesses and demons but yet they couldn’t prevail over this particular case. These verses reveal some fundamental truths to us. One, unbelief hinders requests. Two, the smallest amount of faith is sufficient to move mountains. But if there is a lack of power in prayer, then there is the need to develop this authority through fasting.
For the Israelites of Isaiah days, they fasted for restoration; for my parents the purpose was for clarity and guidance in decision making as they were involved in many leadership roles; for me it was the need for a breakthrough. Beloved, no matter what your case is, the acceptable fast is to do away with sin before food or any other distraction, meditate on the word of God and ask in faith. Victory is assured as we fast and pray in faith.
Lord Jesus, increase my faith as I dwell on your words daily. Amen.