6:1-21 These verses speak of fasting and because we have the benefit of the New Testament, we have more updated instruction from God through Jesus regarding the practice.
Matthew 6:16-18 “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. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 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.
God wants the practice of fasting to be a personal and solemn exchange between Himself and you. He wants for it to be a sacred time, a time through which you can purely receive His instruction and encourage. For that to happen, we must separate ourselves from distractions... from anything or anyone but Him.
6:22-27 The Lord gave this beautiful and selfless prayer to Moses:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Remember that we learned the power of intercessory prayer from Abraham, Genesis 18. Remember this prayer when you are speaking with God. The most sincere way to God's heart is to have compassion for others. Let's examine the contents of the prayer.
The Lord bless you and keep you: We often pray for specific things for others when the most comprehensive prayer we could pray for them would be to pray for God to bless and keep them. For God to continually fill their lives with what He knows they need. For God to claim them as His own because we know how mercifully and generously God loves His children.
The Lord make His face shine upon you: We should pray for God's love and watchful spirit to be all over the lives of those we pray for. His warmth is an incomparable comfort. As long as He is looking at their lives, they are covered from all sides.
And be gracious to you: God's grace is a safety net. It is also the gentle hand, word and place to rest our bodies so often crave. The type of kindness in the world can never match God's level of kindness. His grace is the light of life.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you: Pray for those you love to have God's full attention, to have access not only to His love but also His wise word and firm truth... His guiding Hand and welcoming lap of peace.
And give you peace: In an often restless world, pray for the people you encounter to have God's peace. He is the only one with the balm which is able to salve the wounds life often inflicts. He gives rests to our bodies, our minds, our spirits... our lives. Allow Him to decide what the recipients of your prayers need. Notice that God's advice to Moses is not to tell people to pray for food for others or shelter, wealth or fame or friendship... God knows what our souls need to be fulfilled. God knows that we often do not know what our souls need to be fulfilled.
Pray for these things for others and blessings will naturally abound and flow into your own life as well. Let God decide the specifics. Pray for Him to be with you and everything else is taken care of by Him.
