I often wonder (and I am certainly open for correction) if one of the reasons I miss this “filling” in my own life is, a lack of “true fasting” mentioned in Isaiah 58? By that, I mean, while I do serve my family, my friends (and I have also served in many ways within the church,) how am I living out Isaiah 58 within my community….and the broken people I don’t know?

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.”

More and more I find these verses convicting-not just for myself-but also for today’s church. My own observation is, modern churches focus on: our home, our family, our church, our growth (rightly so, “we don’t turn away from our own flesh and blood” 7b). All of these are GOOD things; however, are we fully recognizing that we are called to something more-out in the world? All the ways God has taught us and blessed us, is not simply for ourselves. Would He empower me (and His church) in miraculous ways-as He did the early church-if we did more to minister to brokenness wherever we see it?

As for myself, I think of all the ways I’ve grown as a believer (from the day I first believed) and I wonder: what am I called to do with the things God has taught me thus far? If He fills me, shouldn’t it overflow to service in a broken world? I don’t do enough of this.

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:03:12 +0000 To: acabicyclingnana@msn.com

I spent part of yesterday catching up on a week of your blogs, so now I’m all caught up. Your writings always inspire me. Thank you again for what you do.
As a blogger, I fully understand the strain of daily writing. Sadly I have really slowed down; still I’m maintain my site as I hope to write more regularly in the future.