NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

TRUE FASTING (ASH WEDNESDAY)

SCRIPTURE READINGS
ISAIAH 58:1-12
2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-10
MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-21

REFLECTION

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent (40 days of fasting, prayers and reflecting on God’s Word in preparation for Easter). It is a day that reminds us that human beings are mere ashes, therefore, we must be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ to have eternal life. Ash Wednesday in some churches is observed by the priest or pastor makes the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the congregants with ash made out of the dry palm fronds of last year’s Palm Sunday. The ashes signify our mortality, weakness and finiteness before God.  Our understanding of Ash Wednesday as mere mortals who must humble ourselves, repent and reconcile to God brings us to the theme for our Ash Wednesday reflection, “True Fasting”

The common and general understanding of fasting is abstaining from food or drinks, especially as a religious observance, additionally, Isaiah 58:5-12 helps us to understand true fasting and its features. Beloved in the Lord, true fasting is not only an outward display of spirituality through abstaining from all kinds of food and drinks as it was practised among the Israelites in addition to the wearing of sackcloth and having one’s body covered with ashes as a sign of humility and repentance. ( Isaiah 58:5)

The people of Israel during the time of Prophet Isaiah fasted and prayed yet their fasting did not lead to the desired spiritual and moral transformation. Isaiah said to them “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” (Isaiah 58:4) Beloved in the Lord, we find a similar trend in our dispensation, we have thousands of churches and millions of Christians scattered around different countries and continents. Christianity in Africa has had tremendous growth and expansion over the decades. There are a variety of prayer, fasting and spiritual revival programmes organised by Churches throughout the year yet Africa’s socio-economic and moral decadence keeps worsening as the days go by. It is clear evidence that there is a disconnect or a great dichotomy between our spirituality and other spheres of life. Most politicians and civil servants are Christians yet corruption in government institutions is at its peak. The Judiciary is not an exception. There is little or no impact on our spiritual or Christian religious experience in the form of fasting, Bible Studies and prayer on our socio-economic, moral and political lives. This was the situation in Isaiah’s time, therefore, God spoke through Him to the nation Israel, that the features of true fasting or the impacts of true fasting are the following; “…to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke… 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 (your own people,..” (Isaiah 58:6-7). In other words, true fasting is not about mere outside appearance and public display of piety but it is about obedience to God and our love and respect for human dignity. It is for this reason that Jesus admonished us that ““Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven…When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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. (Matthew 6:1,16-18) Indeed, true fasting must not be superficial but draw us closer to God and also lead to spiritual growth, moral transformation, social justice, love, equality, peace and respect for human dignity in our society and nation. Paul further urges us “…not to receive God’s grace (or mercy) in vain. ² For he says, “In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). Therefore, our obedience to God and spiritual exercises such as fasting must be true and give glory to the Lord.

Beloved in the Lord, It is only when we practice true fasting “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. ⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, ¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday. ¹¹ The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:8-11). Let us practice true fasting beyond mere abstinence from food, drinks and other mundane activities, but more importantly, produce impactful spiritual fruits through our true fasting. God cannot be deceived for “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24). Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to fast aright and may our true fasting lead to our spiritual growth, moral transformation, social justice, peace and respect for human dignity. Amen.