Fasting?

"Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustic

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

Is it not to share 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 & blood."

~ Isaiah 58:6,7

In the midst of thinking about all this AIDS stuff I am constantly reminded of this verse.  Especially the very last line.  How can we turn away from our own flesh and blood?  We do it all the time.  This really saddens my heart. 

When I normally think of fasting, the first thing I think of is giving up some food, normally to loose weight or because we rely on it too much.  But when Jesus is talking about fasting, He isn't talking about a diet, he is talking about a way of life.  He is talking about fasting from the things that make us too comfortable, He is calling us to step out of what we know and be there for someone else instead of only providing for ourselves.  To constantly be turning to your neighbor to see what they need instead of turning to your neighbor only when you need something.  To be vulnerable to someone else.  To let yourself be there when you are needed and when you are not, when you are bored or completely entertained.  To step out of everything we know to love someone that might be "hard" to love.  This quote comes from a book I was reading a month ago and is something that has stuck with me every since

"Feeding the poor, caring for the oppressed...that's messy stuff. But what if what God wants is messy? What if, like the Isrealites, my spiritual service is too tidy? A bit too contained in the white walls of religion? A bit too focussed on me? What if all this time I've been polishing myself up to exhibit spritiual excellence when God wanted something wholly different? No to stay home perfecting myself, but to go out into the world. But to transform it through action, in service and love."


This is amazing.  How many "self help" books have I read?  How many times have I sat there trying to perfect myself, when really I should be out in the world?  I know for a fact that I have learned a ton more from my own personal expriences than when reading someone elses.  God uses us every day and reveals Himself to us through other people and the things that happen around us.  I don't need to perfect myself before I go out, He works on my heart when I work with others.  This is so beautiful!
 
So how are you fasting?  And go out there and do something....