“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? 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? 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. ” (Isaiah 58:6-8)

I love this chapter. In it we see the Lord speak clearly and decisively against fasting and worship as perfunctory religious acts. He makes it known in no uncertain terms that He is not interested in our ritualistic attempts to appease ourselves by engaging in meaningless acts of false humility.

He brings the whole idea of “fasting” into a new light here by saying it wasn’t supposed to be merely a sackcloth and ashes self abasement thing. Fasting was meant to be something that honored God and blessed others. In other words “fasting” or going without something, was to be done not for the purpose of what we can gain, but so that we could better understand what we can give to God and others.

Allow me a little loose literary license to put this passage in modern language.

“Here is the fast I choose: Share the blessings I have given you with others, rather than hoarding them for yourselves. Share the freedom you have in Christ, Loose bonds, free the oppressed, let God use you to break the yoke of sins bondage in the lives of others. If someone doesn’t have a home, maybe you should share yours with them. If someone doesn’t have clothing, maybe you should see if you can help. Don’t hide yourself from who you would be without Christ, instead acknowledge it and take Christ to the others around you.”

You see, what this passage is really telling us is that God’s  chosen FAST, the one that blesses Him,  is all about a recognition of HIS provision, the WORLD’S needs, and THE ROLE WE CAN PLAY in connecting those two. God’s chosen fast is not about us retreating from the world into false piety and moral superiority; it is all about us joining the Lord in the work He is doing… breaking sins bondage and seeking to redeem and restore every part of life.

What is the result of this kind of “fast”? Again, I take a little literary license:

“Light springs out of your life like the dawn of a new day, and healing springs up and out of you like a rushing spring erupting from the earth; The rightness of your life, a life made right by God’s work and lived out in right relationship with others, goes before you, and God’s Glory comes in behind you. In every way, you become a living testimony to who God is and what He can do in our lives. You are a New Creation, and you can be a vessel through which He brings New Creation to the world around you.”

Friends: Today I want you to ask yourselves just what this “Chosen fast” might look like in your life. Ask it like this - “What blessings has God given to me that I can use to bless the hurting world around me?” “Fast” with me by thinking a little less about what you want, and a little more about what you can give… all because of what Jesus has given us!