Scripture
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help
Observation
God is not impressed by religious practices. God sees the prayers and fasting of his people but is unmoved by them.
God wants hearts that are changed and not just bodies that go through the motions of religion.
There is no point in fasting if we then fight with our neighbour. God wants us to be working for justice and sharing our plenty with those who lack.
If we do that, then we will see salvation.
That's not to say that we are saved by our good works, but to say that our good works are signs of the salvation that is in us.
Application
It's very easy to spiritualise passages like this so that they become meaningless.
The truth is that those who are really converted, truly saved and seeking God will find their hearts melting at the needs and sufferings of others.
If we do not love our neighbour we do not really love God- it's just a religious game we are playing.
Intimacy with God fills our heart with compassion and results in our lives being so transformed that we go on to transform the lives of others.
Prayer
Open my eyes Lord to see those around me who need a touch of your love today. Amen.
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