This stood out to me as I read this morning because it made me think of my reasoning for doing things sometimes. Is it just for ritual or is it to glorify the Lord? Do I want to be seen as righteous or do I truly want to live righteously? I can fast and have celebrations but they need to be for truly learning and seeking the Lord’s wisdom so my obedience can show Him glory. I like what it said in one of the study bibles, “Biblical fasting is meant to be time taken from the normal routines of preparing and eating food to express humility and dependence on God during a time of prayer.”
We can’t get caught up by doing everything because people ask us too, we need to desire it in our own heart and want to show God our love by our living like Christ and being different than we were before. We can’t love the Lord and love the things of this world. In Matthew chapter 6 verse 24 it says, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Our walk can’t be because it is what people tell us to do or because it’s what everyone is trying. It must be because our hearts are changed and we are seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We have to pray and ask, seek and knock because God is offering all we need to know if we would just surrender to our own desires. We can’t dabble in both we need to choose God and build our understanding by going to Him and opening our hearts. All we do needs to be done to glorify Him so the more we learn and live it out the better chance we have to choose life in Him instead of death in the world. Ask and pray daily –where are my desires please let them be for you Lord. Amen