Indy Christian .com -- Daily Internet Starting-line

True Fasting II

In the last issue, we talked about the fasting that God has chosen, Isaiah 58:5-7. I see this fasting as the active and tangible way to touch others. It is not passive, secluded, and isolated. As leaders, I believe we need to glance at the way in which fasting became a tangible way to touch others.

In the past few years, I have fasted from time to time. I would like to share with you my past experience; this does not mean it is the absolute correct way, but one person’s journey into fasting.

It is not always easy to fast; your entire being is involved--mentally, physically, and spiritually. It starts with an idea; you thought about fasting, or the Holy Spirit spoke to you to fast. Then, you process it mentally; you ask yourself several questions: “Is this a good season to fast?”; “Is this idea self-serving, or is it from God?”; “Do I have parties to go to this coming holiday, and is this the right timing?”; or “It does not matter what season it is, God wanted me to fast so I will do it anyway.”

After you process it mentally, it passes through you physically, and you take action. You now actually fast from food or anything that you want to do most, such as watching TV, shopping, etc. At this stage, you will experience irritation, hunger, headaches, food cravings, and physical weakness.

Once you go through the physical, then you get into the realm of the spiritual aspect of your life. At this stage, your mind and your physical self tend to become secondary to your spiritual experience. You tend to become spiritually sensitive, and you start to tune in to your inner self.

My past fasting experience became self-absorbed and focused on me wanting to tune in to what God’s message is. Isn’t this what fasting is all about? I do not know if you can relate to my personal experience. I humbled myself, bowed down my head to God, and waited until I heard from Him. I think this is great, but based on our passages below, God asks us, “Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?”

Let’s look again at the passages (The Message Version) of Isaiah 58:5-7:
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?

"This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed, cancel debts.

What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.

The verses above are active and are focused on others rather than on self. Look at the verses: TO BREAK, GET RID OF, FREE the oppressed; SHARING, INVITING, PUTTING, and BEING available. These verses are involved in touching others with regards to injustice, imprisonment, hunger, homelessness, and being available to others.

I have never thought about fasting this way. I thought that reaching out to others is outreach, and not a fast. I thought fasting involves only yourself and God alone. Of course, the fasting that Isaiah talked about will involve our mind, body, and spirit, but in active and tangible ways, focusing on others and not on ourselves.

Fasting is not like Eastern meditation of being alone in your room focusing on yourself, not eating or drinking. It is not isolating yourself, but immersing yourself to the needs of others. It is not thinking but doing, no is it passive but active.

There are many opportunities to fast this holiday season. As leaders, we need to lead. That means that we not only direct others what to do, but we also act with them; we do not just tell others what to do, but we lead others through our involvement in the projects and services. We do not just plan for things, but we implement them, and we immerse ourselves into it.

At any point in our lives, we become leaders and we become followers. Whether you are a leader or a follower, I do not think that you will go wrong at all if you involve yourself actively on helping others.

Our perfect example for fasting is Jesus. He provided for those in need, He fed the hungry, He consoled the weary, He prayed for the sick, He walked the dusty streets with His disciples, He looked for those who were lost, and He extended His love to others--even to His death on the cross.

Even now, Jesus is working. John 14:2-4, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus is preparing a place for you and me. He is preparing a mansion for you and me! Don’t you want to have a mansion in the future? If you do, you need to know Jesus first. If you do not know Jesus in a personal way and want to find out more about Him, please contact your local pastor or our office at thevoiceofchristian@yahoo.com

This Christmas, I am encouraging you to fast as stated from the passages of the prophet Isaiah. If you are looking for ways to do so, please contact your church or contact info@fhlinternational.org to get involved in what God is doing in our city.

So the next time you reach out to those in need, visit the prisoners and the sick, share your food with the hungry, and help the homeless, you can tell others that you are fasting. After all, it’s a holiday, and it is a time to fast.

posted by fhlinternational @ 6:37 PM