The kind of fasting God desires

“Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:5-7)

One of the ministries our church supports is Isaiah 58. This ministry, originally started by Ray and Linda Labbe over 20 years ago, consists of volunteers who prepare food and drive it to New Britain in a big blue van to serve the hungry and homeless every Saturday (except the first Saturday of the month), while sharing the gospel and love of Christ with them. The name of the ministry comes from God’s words to the prophet Isaiah about fasting and justice. In this passage, the Israelites complain that God is not responding to their fasting and pursuit of God. God’s reply is that while they are fasting by the letter of the law, in that they are abstaining from food, they are simultaneously exploiting their workers and treating each other with violence while they fast. God exhorts them that true fasting should involve not only abstaining from food or humbling oneself, but also seeking justice and sharing with the hungry and needy.

While this passage was directed to a specific people in a specific time period, the principle is still worth reflecting upon, especially as Lent, a season known for its emphasis on fasting, approaches. The Israelites were encouraged to not only abstain from food for a season, but to share their food with the hungry. If the gospel has challenged you to not find your hope in the things of this world, and to not spend your life pursuing things that in the end will not matter, how can you simultaneously become more generous and gracious with people in need?

When I was in college, I studied for a semester in London. It was my first experience out of the country, my first experience living in an apartment, and my first experience living in a city. As is the case in most cities, I was faced daily with many homeless people begging for money. As a young Christian, I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond. Was I supposed to give to everyone who asked? Or was I potentially enabling bad behavior by giving to the homeless? I decided that I would fast every Friday from breakfast and lunch, and give the money I would have spent on my food to someone I encountered on the street. I don’t know if there was wisdom in that approach, or if it made any difference, but it was a good discipline for me to keep in mind the spirit of Isaiah 58, that God calls us not only to sacrifice our own desires at times but to meet the needs of others.

If you choose to give up something for Lent, keep Isaiah 58 in mind. Yes, there is value in fasting from something. But what will you do with the time or money you gain? Is there a way that you can fulfill the spirit of God’s words to his people in Isaiah by seeking justice and sharing with the hungry and needy?