I was to give the devotion to the appointive cabinet last week. As I was reflecting and praying on what to say, I was caught by the scripture which I will share below. Before I share, I reflected on the practices that many have for the season of Lent. For many, this is the time of year that people will fast from either food (i.e. certain sweets or for me brussel sprouts), watching TV or abstaining from the Internet, spending time with family, or working on commitments to the spiritual disciplines. Some will save the money that they would spend on their lattes and use that money to help various charities. Others will take time to divest themselves of items that they no longer use or need and donate them to organizations that can benefit from them.

All the above are wonderful works and certainly I encourage each and every one. Fasting no matter how one does it reminds us of our need to always take time to focus on our relationship to God and to neighbor. Yet, some make sure that everyone is aware of the sacrifice that they are making. I am concerned as to why someone needs to advertise what they have chosen to do. They are practicing good spiritual disciplines and for the most it is life-changing. But do we need to let the world know about it. Jesus often criticizes the Pharisees as they go about making a great show of their fasting. They wear pained faces and seem to go about saying look at what I am doing. I have to confess I include myself at times in the same way. How often I would say things about what I have done especially in church growth or service, when it really was God who was instrumental. As I continued to reflect and pray about this, I began to think as to not just what I was doing and how I was doing it, but also as to why am I doing this.

Maybe that is the crux of the matter. It is important to be reminded of what Jesus has done and his journey to the cross. Am I doing this in this light or am I doing this was a quid pro quo relationship with God. If I do this, am I more righteous? If that is the case than I have become like the Pharisee who in the Luke 18 stated, “Thank God I am not like that tax collector.” If I obey the letter of the law, then my sense of salvation is complete, or is it? I am than coming close to works righteousness which can be for me a heresy. Works are important but it is my relationship with God through Jesus that is my righteousness. Remembering that I am called to love God and to love my neighbor. How is my fasting or anyone’s fasting tied to that love? Do I a fast for myself or as a way of remembering the love God has shown me through his son? This strikes me as to the why of spiritual disciplines.

The scripture that I used came from the Isaiah. First some context of the scripture. This is often considered part of second Isaiah. It is believed to have been written as the exiles were returning from Babylon. They were returning to devastation and no community. Many who were displaced had no resources of food or shelter. For those who had resources many were just using them for themselves. Most were pious in form, fasting and sacrifices. For some they had lost sight of the why and the sharing with others.

Isaiah 58:1-12The Message (MSG)

Your Prayers Won’t Get Off the Ground

58 ^1-3 “Shout! A full-throated shout!
    Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
    face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
    and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
    law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
    and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
    ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
    Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’

^3-5 “Well, here’s why:

“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.
    You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
    You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
    won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
    a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
    and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
    a fast day that I, God, would like?

^6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
    to break the chains of injustice,
    get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
    free the oppressed,
    cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
    sharing your food with the hungry,
    inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
    putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
    being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
    and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
    The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
    You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places

^9-12 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
    quit blaming victims,
    quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
    and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
    your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
    I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
    firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
    a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
    rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
    restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
    make the community livable again. 

            When I read this passage, regardless of the translation, I hear not only God’s voice but the voice of our Savior. In John Wesley’s notes, “we cover our wickedness with the profession of religion. We know God’s will and word, yet do not conform our lives as if we are righteous.” This is echoed in Matthew 25 where the final judgment comes and did we do it for those who have nothing knowing we are doing it for Christ. This is what Lent is for me. So maybe this Lent I take time to pray, not gossip, not blame others, clothe those who are without, and take real time with my family and with my church. Then our light will shine forth and we can restore not just our buildings but our lives.

            May this Lent be one of repentance, remembering, and one of action. For we have been blessed by so much, let us share that with others.