"When you fast, do not look somber" as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it it will not be obvious to mean that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
I know that the obvious lesson of this passage is motives behind actions. But something else convicted convicted my heart today. I was encouraged that Jesus knows and understands our human nature: difficult in believing something unseen and waiting for reward not given immediately.
Jesus teaches to"...fast...only to your Father, who is unseen...done in secret, will reward you" in verse 18 AGAIN after teaching in verse 6, "...pray to your Father, who is unseen...done in secret, will reward you"
Jesus knows this is difficult for us. Retaining faith in God who is unseen is not easy. Anticipating reward not given til we're in heaven is not easy. But "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see"--Hebrews 11:1. We must obediently carry out these acts of faith (praying and fasting in secret) according to what Jesus teaches.
3 comments:
True!!
God centrainly knows the human nature but demand us not to yield to our old nature. Frankly I've only fasted twice in my lfe and I did not enjoy it at all. First one I didn't enjoy at all because I was almost forced to do it. Allday I was cranky and irritated. I wasn't in the mood for praying. However, I let everyone know I was fasting and telling them how hungry and tired was. I wanted the world to know that I was suffering for the sake of Christ so that my good deed was regonized and praised by people. Based on the experience I know I put myself above God and my heart was far from honoring and worshipping Him. It is imiportant that everything we do, we need to examine our hearts and motives and pray that God will purify our hearts and minds to do His Will.
ji... thanks for your reflection
i find it encouraging that Jesus knows us so well...
He's also been there and models for us what it should look like
i've had very little experience (thus success) with fasting... my metabolism is so nuts, i get light-headed just thinking about fasting
with lent coming up... it is a good time to start thinking about it... if we lift that up to the Lord and see how He would have us fast: we can give up TV, food, activities... we can fast in other ways!
excellent reflection, ji. the passage reminds us again of our tendency to be too easily pleased with lesser rewards.
chapter 6 deals with 3 kinds of spiritual activity--giving, praying, and fasting--and how there is something within us that not only wants people to know we are doing them, but to commend us for doing them.
we are too satisfied with lesser rewards, with "immediate and visible things like people's approval".
Jesus gives us a clue as to how we are to do our "acts of righteousness" in the right way. in the section on giving, Jesus states: "when you give, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (v 3).
in other words, do the righteous act in such a way that you are not filled with a consciousness that you are doing a "righteous" thing.
the moment you are aware of yourself doing these "righteous" things, you've received your reward in full.
instead, "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing". in other words, whatever "righteous" act you do, don't let your "self" know about it.
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