Fasting: What Did Jesus Say?
“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18 NRSV
Series: Fasting: A Posture of Surrender Focused on God
Devotional: 2 of 7
Last week, we explored the idea that Biblical fasting is an act of surrender in which we are reminded of our utter dependence on God for all we have.
It is this posture of surrender that will help us approach the practice of fasting - or really any spiritual discipline - with pure motives.
In what we now know as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns the religious people of His day (and you and I, by extension) who had turned fasting into a public show focused on bringing attention to themselves.
"And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (See Matthew 6:16-18)
Now, it is unlikely that you and I will ever stand in a crowded marketplace with our faces intentionally disfigured in order to make people think we are super spiritual. But like the religious people of Jesus' day, we often fall into the trap of turning our religious practices into an opportunity to bring attention to ourselves, taking the focus off of God.
When we practice any spiritual discipline, including fasting, it is essential to remember that we need to closely examine our motivations before entering into the practice. "God-centered fasting always has as its motive to create an opening for God's revelation and mercy. It is not to coerce God or change his mind. Our doing something does not condition God's response."(Dr. Siang-Yang Tan & Dr. Douglas H. Gregg)
Fasting is not about bartering with God, nor is it about earning extra credit. We must resist the urge to make fasting transactional.
And that brings us back full circle to where we started - entering into the practice of fasting from a posture of surrender to the will of God.
Take a minute to wrestle with the following questions. Are we guilty of turning our religious practices into an opportunity to bring attention to ourselves? When we enter into the discipline of fasting (or any other spiritual discipline), have we mistakenly fallen into the trap of bartering with God? And what would it look like for us to enter into the practice of fasting from a posture of surrender to God?
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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