Isaiah 58:3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

When was the last time you fasted? How many people did you tell? What sort of reaction did you get?

Fasting is not about how many people know you are doing it. It is not about how other people see you during the act.

Fasting is between you and God; you showing God you are willing to give something up in order for Him to take you seriously.

Don’t broadcast your fasting but rather make sure you are serious with God during your fasting.

Exodus 23:12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

Have you ever thought about how many people are affected by the work you do? I don’t mean in a positive way through you working for them or earning for them but how others have to work just because you want to work.

We all want public transport to be up and running, even on our days off! We all want shops to be open just in case we forgot something…

Our lives directly and indirectly affect many more people. How about thinking about giving them a rest on the Sabbath?

Nehemiah 13:17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?

When the people from Tyre brought all manner of foods to the people of Judah and Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, Nehemiah went to the local leaders not to Tyre.

The local people had the choice of whether they bought from the traders on the Sabbath or whether they abstained and kept the Sabbath holy.

We do have a choice as to when and what we do to glorify God. It is our choice. God is going to look to us to find out what we are doing, not to all the tempters around us.