Last week I felt God would have me fast from TV watching and replace it with time spent reading the Bible. One of the passages I was reading was Isaiah 58 where God is telling the Israelites why their fasting was not acceptable to Him. He wanted replacement of their phony spiritual exercise with tangible efforts that showed a change of heart and a reflection of His character. He wanted them "..to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free..to share food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter." It's a challenging passage to read. Would my fasting this Lent season be pleasing to God?
So often there are phone calls that I know I should make because a friend is needing my encouragement. When I get home from work, I'm tired and drained after dealing with people's problems all day, so making an encouraging phone call can seem like a duty. One of my friends is very isolated and lonely, with circumstances, that for the most part, are not of her own making or choosing. I'm one of her few friends and probably her only Christian friend, so I know how important my phone calls are. But it's easy for me to get busy or to feel like I deserve time in front of the TV to unwind and relax. Soon it's too late to make the call I was intending to make. I generally feel guilty, knowing that if it really was a priority for me, I would have made the call. One evening last week I realized that by not watching TV, I not only had time to read the Bible, I had time to make a phone call. My friend was so glad to hear from me and I found myself engaged in an unhurried conversation, chatting about inconsequential things, without an "agenda" of encouragement. I made the call with a different attitude, listening more intently, and yes, still offering words of encouragement. Getting off the phone I realized that by obeying God I could help to set my friend free of the oppression of her isolation and loneliness, even if only for a brief time.