1 “Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. [1]
This is day one of our 21 days of fasting in preparation for our annual convocation. We will focus our devotions on Isaiah, chapter 58. What does one do during a fast? Do they simply push back from the table and sit quietly while others enjoy their meal? Do they act pious and uber spiritual? What do they do? In the day in which Isaiah was writing as the prophet of God, Israel celebrated many fasts. It was a regular part of their religious experience. The problem, however, was that their fasting had become little more than an empty ritual when it was intended to be a time of returning to God through confession. But it was not just for them alone. It was for the household of faith. Isaiah, therefore, admonishes Israel to be boisterous in their challenge to their community to change their ways.
Fasting in the church today has become equally perfunctory, if there is fasting at all. Some cannot fast because of medical and health issues, but others have twisted motives for their fasting. This is the time to intentionally seek to draw closer to God, and not for you alone, but for the entire household of faith. So, on this first day of our fasting, let us not be silent, or even quiet, in our confession and our admonition to return to the Lord. Let us instead be sincere in our conversation with the Lord about ourselves, those we love, and the community of which we are a part.
Dear God and Father of us all. I surrender my appetite to you today and for the next twenty days as a sacrifice. My earnest desire is to draw closer to you. I freely confess my transgressions and sins and ask for your forgiveness. Help me crucify my flesh and maintain my focus on You and Your Word. May the transformation I experience endure far beyond the end of this fast. May it bring lasting change that causes my heart, mind, body, and soul to reflect You. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen.
[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Is 58:1.
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