My name is Wendy Almeida and I decided to start writing about my quite times with God with the purpose of trying to understand them more. Well, today I read Zechariah 7. I didn't need to write about this chapter because it spoke so clearly to me and even made me laugh when I saw what it was about.
My church started a fast today so yesterday night the meeting was about fasting. Our leader started with explaining "what is fasting?" Fasting is when you abstain from physical nourishment, but not spiritual nourishment. "When to fast?" When you need to hear from God or receive from God his word/an answer. "How to fast?" By not eating for a period of time, by spending time in his word instead of eating, and by applying this verse (that I read this morning) "This is what the Lord Almighty says: ' Administer TRUE justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'" Zechariah 7: 9-10.
Zechariah 7 starts of with the people of Bethel sending their men to inquire of the priest to ask God if they should mourn and fast like they have done over the years (Zechariah 7:2&3) and this is when I started to laugh. I realized that this is something God wants me to do, but the right way. God's first answer to them was by saying that all those years that the have fasted and mourned was not for God, but for themselves (Zechariah 7:4-7). I could imagine that when they fasted it was to either keep up with tradition, to impress their neighbors, to say that they have completed their duty with God. OUCH, to hear that from God must hurt. Then God gave Zechariah a second answer, telling them that when they fast they have to show justice, compassion, mercy, love, and care for one another (Zechariah 7:8-9).
When we are fasting we are making a sacrifice, and fasting is pleasing to God. (When we fast for the right reasons.) Pslams 51:17 says "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." We need to be humbled, we need to practice what God has put us on earth to do, and we need to pray. Pray for our needs, pray for ourselves and our loved ones, and pray for our church. This is what its all about.
If you fast and see nothing its because you were doing the right thing , but the WRONG way. If you fast and do nothing you will NOT see God's blessing. If you fast and are not humbled it will NOT be pleasing to God. We learn as we go and search for Him. When we search, knock, and ask God will answer.
