Fasting

As a music team we are fasting today and finishing with an hour of prayer. I haven't fasted food so I wanted to do this and understand to reason we fast. I found this chapter in the New Living Translation.

Isaiah 58
"Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don't be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to near me.
'We have fasted before you!' they say.
'Why aren't you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don't even notice it!'
"I will tell you why!" I respond.
"It's because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.
What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds in the wind."

I stop here because I always wanted to fast but I needed to get the reasons for it right. This is clearly what not to do!

It goes on to say to free those who are wrongly imprisoned, lighten the burden of those who work for you, share food with the hungry, give shelter to the hungry and the list goes on. After this Jesus says
(v8) "Then your salvation with come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the LORD will answer.
'Yes I am here,' he will quickly reply.
"Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumours! Feed the hungry and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring."

It then talks about honouring the sabbath and not pursuing your own interests on that day.

I got the message that it includes when we fast. Not to just go on doing what we want. But setting time aside to spend with God, praying. I guess this is kind of obvious but in the Christian world sometimes we do things so that we look like we're good people and not actually doing it for the right reasons.

So we are giving up something we need to spend the day in prayer. If I can go without food for 24 hours so that my prayers reach the ears of the unsaved. It is truly worth it. I think it really focuses us on the task if we are feeling the effects of an empty stomach. I have had to reach out for God's strength to get me through the day, looking after my 2 girls. While I'm not feeling that hungry I am stupidly tired and lacking the energy to function properly. It's so tempting just to sneak in a coffee or some food. But I can't. I am accountable.

Today is about putting aside our own needs to fulfill God's will. Seeking his presence to give us strength in our own lives and in others.

God help me do what I need to today and always remember why we do this. I pray for your strength and wisdom. I believe for miracles to happen today and for the weeks to come. In Jesus name
Amen

A Life Ends

We welcome new babies into the world and we say goodbye to those we've spent a lifetime with. On Tuesday I got the news that my Great Aunty Kath had passed away.
She was always around with a smile and encouraging word for us. She always remembered birthdays, shared stories and had so much wisdom to share. She was more of a grandmother to me than my own. I will always remember her, honour her and love her for all she gave to me and my family.

She shared the word of God with conviction and supported my family and her own through the tough times. She was truly blessed by God and I believe is now with him and the rest of her family in heaven, pain free and full of joy.

RIP Aunty. You will be greatly missed and we love you heaps!