Title
Unto the Lord?
Scripture
Say to all the people . . . “When you fasted and mourned . . . did you really fast for Me - for Me?”
(Zechariah 7:5)
Devotional
The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”(1) Why do we do the things that we do? Do we pray and work to be seen by men or to the glory of God? With regard to fasting, there are two basic biblical reasons for fasting: mourning (2) and prayer. (3) Fasting, as of late, appears to be in vogue. People fast to lose weight, cleans their bodies, and I’m sure a myriad of other good reasons. These in themselves in many instances are beneficial, but not necessarily the fast of which the Lord calls. Let us make sure that the external reasons we do the things that we do are internally honest. If, for example, we fast for physical reasons, do not pretend that it is for spiritual reasons. Nevertheless, I imagine that one can do both in tandem. Whether we serve in the church or fast or what ever we do, let us hear these words from the Lord, “Did you really do it for me - for Me?”
(1) 2 Corinthians 13:5, (2) Jonah 3:5, (3) 1 Corinthians 7:5