Text by Emelita Vargas-Anderson
Read:
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Isaiah 58:5-6 NASB
“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed? And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed. Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? Is this not the fast which I choose? To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?
Reflect:
Amidst the noise, the world and everything around it runs at its usual pace; we long for moments where we can hear His voice speaking. In the day to day motion, battling the tendency to function in autopilot, yet living our lives to the beat of all the demands. Like a loud gonging of drums, beating in synchrony, time, as it ticks every second, never stops.
We wake up, pray, worship, spend time, then we go about our days. We eat, work, live, study, complete tasks, some not, left for the next day. Life becomes ordinary; part of a habit, a system, within a cycle, boxed in a rat’s wheel. This is why we long for moments, those special ones, out of the ordinary, a spark, an ignition, a fire. We patiently wait for those moments where you can silence out the noise, to hear that faint voice again. It could be in your secret place, at work, while walking, in those random sweeping of the Spirit in unexpected places. That slight whisper in your ear when He tells you a word, statement, verse – just comes flowing deep in your heart, while reading your Bible or listening to worship, in tears, hands raised in surrender. Yes, that soft, gentle presence that touches your skin, giving you all the goosebumps.
Those moments leave us hungry and wanting for more of Him. This is why He commanded, BE SET APART. This is our WHY. We pray, fast, set apart, move our boat away from the crowds, consecrate ourselves – away from our norms – so we remember how it feels when the world was just YOU and HIM. Those moments, when the fire is burning so deeply, we are swept away by His LOVE. Suddenly it becomes all that matters to us. These are the moments when we can say out loud, “I want to stay in your Presence and never leave.” This is why we Fast and go back to the basics: to rekindle what brought us where we are now, our WHY.
Respond:
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, consecrate yourselves, set yourselves apart to dedicate time to the Lord. Pray, fast, and be set apart.
Emelita Vargas Anderson is known to some as Emily but her closest friends and family call her Honey. She's an IT Professional and a Children’s Book Author working in NYC. She writes to inspire, motivate, encourage, and empower happiness. What she likes most about the Word of God is that it remains true in all generations. For her, the Word will forever be her guide in everything that she does in life.
AUTHOR: Emelita Vargas Anderson