Continuing with yesterday’s thoughts regarding Lent, here are some thoughts on fasting.

“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.’

‭‭~ Isaiah‬ ‭58:6-9‬ ‭MSG‬‬

As with all Old Testament passages, we must run this through the lens of what Jesus has done. After all, Jesus Himself declared that all of the Scriptures – which at that time was the Old Testament – are about Him.

Doctor Luke also records that Jesus quoted Isaiah and declared that He is the fulfillment of this Scripture.

Therefore, we can see this is what the Gospel looks like in action. If we are Believers, this is what we’ve been freed to reflect in our lives. The more I believe that I’ve received everything I need through the Gospel, the more I am freed to give all I have to others.

Admittedly, I have a long way to go, but when I see where my life isn’t reflecting these words, it reveals where I need more Gospel-centered belief in my life, not less.

Today’s Good News is that we have been freed to live lives that align with these words from an Old Testament prophet. We’ve recieved the very Spirit and life of Christ. We need to be reminded of this truth every day – at least I do.

We can love like Jesus loved, because it is He who is living in us and through us. If we’re not reflecting this in our lives – we don’t need to attempt to change our behavior – that’s just the symptom. We need to allow God to change our thinking (Romans 12), and be reminded of who we really are in Jesus. When we remember our true identity (our root cause), our behavior (the symptom) will change – and that’s Good News!

#EverydayGospel

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