Read Isaiah 58:6-12, and… write a one sentence summary expressing the heart of this passage.
“If someone obeys God and becomes a powerful force for Him, He will satisfy their needs.”
Theme 1 (v. 6): The kind of “fasting” God has chosen. Theme 2 (v. 11): [The Lord] will “satisfy” your needs in a sun scorched land.
Compare versus 10 and 11. What statement can you make drawing together the themes of self-denial and satisfaction?
“God promises that if I satisfy the needs of others, then he will satisfy my needs.”
What is God proposing we fast from in these verses? List as many possibilities as you can. Perhaps a leading question might help. ‘What do we have to give up or fast from to reach out to the oppressed?’
“food from an overflowing pantry
“clothes from an overcrowded closet
“time from an overbooked schedule
“house space (not that we have much readily available)
“money
“wrong attitudes – judgmental words and thoughts
“4/10/14 Sargeeta (our leader says she will fast from ‘I’”
Please write your own testimony of a time when you discovered a deep filling of soul after emptying your life out for another.
“Over the years, I’ve helped a lot of people, friends and strangers alike, but I can’t say one jumps to mind as that fulfilling. Well, maybe the homeless lady on the train that I gave my gloves to.”
Think of the last time obedience to God was momentarily not much fun. Describe the experience in general terms.
“There is a little ‘not much fun’ in everything I do for Him. Generally, it’s either picking up poop from a dog or wiping it off a toddler. Cleaning the sink drain and dumping dregs of food is not pleasant either. Lately, though, there is also Anna, who is a lonely, grouchy, elderly lady, and it was very not fun when I asked about children. I knew her husband had passed away 2 1/2 years ago, but their only son died at 23 in a skydiving accident. I’m not sure what God wants me to do for her, but I’m sure it’s something.”
Read Isaiah 52:7-9. In the margin describe the relationship that develops between peace and joy.
“When peace comes, joy follows in a large way.”
You will go out in “joy” and be led forth in “peace”; the mountains and hills will burst into “song” before you, and all the trees of the field will “clap” their hands.
Don’t stop there! Take a look forward at Isaiah 58 and read verses 13 and 14. How would they find (their) joy in the Lord? “obedience to God’s commands.”
What is the kingdom of God according to Romans 14:17-18?
“‘Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’”
Dearest Rachel –
To a certain extent, it seems odd to be looking at a section of study homework on the topic of ‘fasting,’ particularly as I’m on what could be considered on of the most self-indulgent things I’ve ever done in my life, in the form of this extended cruise. Then again, what better time to take a moment and ponder the concept, especially during Lent and its culmination in the beginning of Holy Week? Sure, we never observed the self-mortification aspect of the season, but we always understood (if not always directly dwelt upon the fact) that God watches after us, especially when we “seek [Him] first.”
But it’s hard to do that, isn’t it, honey? Even the list of things you drew up were difficult to relinquish. Well, perhaps not so much money itself, but the things we had bought with it tended to be hard to let go of.
And as you mentioned, it’s not always easy to see the return on any investment in others; what fulfillment there might be in any action tends to get subsumed by the fact the it isn’t much ‘fun’ in being good and doing the ‘right thing.’ We know to do it, and we do it, but do we always sense the reward for that? Not hardly.
Of course, we tend to think in terms of a sort of immediate cause-and-effect, and these sorts of things don’t work like that, as a general rule. It’s a very long, slow fuse on some of these things; we’re taken out of the other person’s story, and oftentimes, we just don’t get to stick around for the payoff. It’s not like we have a right to know what happens next, any more than we have a right to question God about the things that happen to us, I suppose. Sure, it would be nice – and sometimes, it happens – but we can’t count on that, nor should we. If nothing else, if we always saw everything pay off, where would faith come into our lives?
Letters to Rachel 