Thursday 6th June
Read Matthew 6:16-18
“‘When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,18 so that it will not be obvious to others 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.” (NIVUK)
The absence of regular fasting in our lives, if we can assume such is the case, does have consequences. John Wesley summarises why we fast succinctly at the end of one of his sermons and in so doing outlines some of the consequences of failure to do so.
“I am, lastly, to show in what manner we are to fast, that it may be an acceptable service unto the Lord. And, first, let it be done unto the Lord, with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven; to express our sorrow and shame for our manifold transgressions of his holy law; to wait for an increase of purifying grace, drawing our affections to things above; to add seriousness and earnestness to our prayers; to avert the wrath of God, and to obtain all the great and precious promises which He has made to us in Jesus Christ.” (John Wesley, Sermon 27, Section 4:1).
He outlines then the rewards on offer for those who fast, but immediately puts out a warning that captures the futility of fasting in order to get these rewards – just as Jesus does in his sermon.
“But, if we desire this reward, let us beware, secondly, of fancying we merit anything of God by our fasting. We cannot be too often warned of this; inasmuch as a desire to “establish our own righteousness,” to procure salvation of debt and not of grace, is so deeply rooted in all our hearts. Fasting is only a way which God has ordained, wherein we wait for his unmerited mercy; and wherein, without any desert of ours, he has promised freely to give us his blessing.” (John Wesley, Sermon 27, Section 4:2).
The early church fasted regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays, a habit that was followed for centuries afterwards. What would happen in our lives if we followed these ancient patterns of the faith?
