WHY HAVE WE FASTED... AND YOU HAVE NOT SEEN?

Isa. 58:3

This was what Israel in the days of Isaiah had to ask _ why have we fasted and you have not seen? Scriptures attest that Israel had many fast. As it could be learnt from the hypocrisy of the Pharisee in Luke 18:2, they fasted two days a week, Tuesday and Thursdays, in observance of Mosses' ascending and discending at the Mount Sinai to receive the Tables of the Law.

The following message delivered through Zechariah the prophet also shows that Israel had different fasts. "Then the world of the Lord of Hosts came to me [Zechariah] saying ... the fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah... [If they] love truth and peace." Zech. 8:18-19. The history of Israel as recorded in the Bible is, therefore, full of fasts with the aspiration to get the mercy of the Lord.

Even if they fasted seriously and with no slight deviation from the schedule and with no slight deviation from the schedule, they failed to please the Lord. It was because of this paradox that they had to forward the question quoted as the heading of this treatise. And the Lord has responded why He was not pleased in their Fast.

As Scriptures assert, fasting is an order mankind has received from God. The Lord, though.

The Lord has accordingly told Israel the kind of fast He desired to see. He expected them to loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free and break every yoke. He wanted them to share their bread with the hungry, to bring to their houses the poor who are cast out and to cover the naked. Isa. 58:6-7.

If they did this, He was trusted to bless them. Had it not been for their refusal to have the kind of fast He desired, they were promised a lot. Their light was to break forth like the morning, their healing was to spring forth speedily and their righteousness was to be rewarded by the rear guard of the Lord. Unfortunately, this did not happen for their fast was full of flaws, which they refused, avoid.

This undying message shall be heeded by the faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhaido Church as well. Every year, we fast for over 235 days. This should have dome with a Spiritual return or reward. We should have seen at least a big chunk of pour problems alleviated. The fact that our problems are growing worse and worse there by forcing us to rise a question as to whether we fast flawlessly to the pleasure of the Lord or if we are aimlessly repeating that Old Testamental blunder of Israel.

We are now at the mid-term of the Lent. At this time of blessing, we shall divorce ourselves from the Old Testamental hypocrisy of Israel. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was, during this period tempted to live or the will of the Flesh. His exemplary reaction was that "Man Shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceed from the mount of God." Mat. 4:4. Deut. 8:3. As we fast, therefore, we shall exhibit our utmost commitments to feed our hungry soul by the word of God. We shall do our level best to come closer to His Voice. We have to read, listed t, etc. Spiritual messages.

If we wanted to reap the most out of our fast, we should pay attention to the message, which the Lord has delivered through Jeremiah. We have been told quite long ago to repent of our wickedness, rather than stick to our own course of destruction. unless we do this we are lesser than animals which, out of instinct, know what to do where and when? Jer. 8:4-7.

This time offers us a golden opportunity for spiritual enrichment. Having fasted for such a long period, we shall not remain in vain. We shall ask ourselves very seriously if we are running with certainty. We have to be able to say, " Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. but, I disciplines my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I my self should become disqualified." 1cor. 98:26-27.

In a nutshell, our fast shall not be culminated by displeasure like Israel who have at last found themselves asking why they have fasted and the Lord has not seen. To make our fasting an effective one, we should not adulterate it with unholy practices of hate, disunity, hypocrisy and many others, which are increasingly coming to be interwoven with us. Let us ask ourselves if we are really fasting. The real sense of the fast demands abstinence not only from food and drinks.

Unless this is accompanied by meekness, mercy, peace and other Spiritual values, it is only in vain. If we claim to throw light to this dark world, we shall not live in darkness. if we are really the salt, why losing flavour? Mat. 5:1-14. We must consecrate our fast if we want to hit our spiritual target. Every one- the elders, the children, the priests...etc- shall ask the Lord to spare us from the reproach of the heithen who mock at out life of faith.

As Joel the prophet has put it, "Then the Lord will be zealous for His land and [He will] pity His people." He would also say unto us, "Behold, I will; send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations." Joel. 2:15-19. The Grace of our Lord be with us all. Amen!!

May God Bless us, Amen.