Fasting, Heavenly Treasure, Good Vision, and Serving God

Matthew 6:16-24

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

16 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

These short passages describe fasting for God instead of for appearances as we lay up eternal treasures in what we live for that our spiritual sight is right in the light and we serve God alone in heaven instead of gathering temporal trinkets of wealth.  The fasting Jesus spoke of is to draw near to God by depriving ourselves of the food we so enjoy and crave for our own satisfaction that we might see clearly to consider what God has put in His word for us to enjoy and pursue the most.  Unfortunately, the fallen human desire exemplified by the hypocritical actions of those in the time of Jesus who made it a show to capture the attention and faux respect of onlookers to their feigned spirituality.  They put on an act to draw other’s attention to them instead of themselves drawing near to the Lord.  They were self-centered and not God-centered or God-honoring.  This was spoken and written for our benefit as well theirs that we might avoid that hypocrisy and seek to ever draw nearer to our Lord when we fast, depriving ourselves of such attention to gain His in the direction of our hearts and minds in daily living.  Likewise, the analogy of our eye to a lamp that illuminates our being represented by the body is described for us.  We can see that a good eye allows light in and does not shut it out in acts of willful blindness to see only the darkness of sin and miss the light of God’s word and will laid out before us to pursue.  If we neglect seeking Him through the scriptures, then we invite darkness by closing our eyes to the light of the world.  May it never be so!  Finally, Jesus told the hearers then and readers afterward that we cannot have a divided loyalty of living if we are to follow as His disciples (James 4:3-4).  Our Master is in heaven and is not the idols of this life such as riches, power, and fame.  We cannot in good conscience try to live for gain that this world offers above or alongside serving the Lord and pursuing the things that lead to life and godliness (Luke 12:34, 1 Timothy 4:8, 6:17-19).  Life should be about pleasing God instead of impressing others, pursuing the things God says are eternal and matter for the kingdom to come as we seek to open our eyes to His light of the scriptures illuminated by His Spirit living in us and storing up the treasures that endure (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) as we serve God, not for temporal gain and fame that fades away in rust and dust.  May the direction of our lives be guided to honor and serve the Lord as profitable servants (Luke 17:10) as we are heavenly mindful of these things.