Have you ever been
really, really hungry? When we are really, really hungry, our stomachs start to
growl and all we seem to think about is getting something to eat. What do you
eat when you are really hungry?
Some of the worst foods
to eat are chips, donuts, cheese and probably anything from a fast-food
drive-through. Some better foods to eat are bananas, apples, oatmeal and beans.
I mention eating
because in our reading from Isaiah (58:3-9), we hear about fasting. Fasting is
when you do not eat all day. People fast for many reasons, but the people
Isaiah is talking about are those who were fasting so that God would notice.
What God noticed is that they were fasting, but were not willing to give up on
their sinning.
The people who were
fasting were still wicked. They were not willing to take people into their
homes when they needed shelter. They were not willing to give away some of
their clothes to people who lost everything. And even though they had lots of
food to share, they were not sharing their food with the really hungry people.
Fasting is a good thing
if it is done for the right reason. Later this month, we will start the season
of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The Gospel that day will call us to pray, give to
others, and fast. We should do these things for the right reason – to grow
closer to Jesus and to other Christians who have less than we do.
We grow closer to Jesus
when we think of Him fasting and praying. We grow closer to other Christians
because we know that some of them do not have what we do, and so we share with
them what God gave us. So, today, think of how you might fast and pray and grow
closer to God and God’s people.
Heavenly Father, from
whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless all children, and give
their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in
which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of
their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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