Worship is a matter of the heart, as is fasting. The Word of God tells us that only those who have clean hands and a pure heart can enter into His holy hill (Psalm 24:4). In verses 7, 8, and 10 of Isaiah 58 we see that one of the evidences of a proper fast is giving. It is sharing food, shelter, and clothing with those in need of these things. I found it very interesting in this passage that the prophet shows us the benefits that flow to us as a result of our giving. In verses 8 and 10 he says, "Then your light will break out like the dawn"; and "Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday". In this particular passage, the word "light" denotes clarity of vision, or to put it another way, clarity of purpose. God knows the real from the unreal. He knows whether our worship is according to His Spirit and His truth. He knows whether we are giving willingly or grudgingly.
Verse 8 of this passage also mentions speedy recovery. During my time of fasting I was dealing with a painful issue, and I knew my deliverance would come as a result of fasting, prayer, and meditation on God's Word. My deliverance did come as I trusted God, and I emerged from my time of fasting with a fresh perspective and a new determination toward my purpose. Be it physical, emotional, or even spiritual, sometimes even the best-prepared soldiers get wounded in the battle.
Both fasting and worship require self-examination. David teaches us in Psalm 51:6 that God desires truth in the innermost being. When we bow low before a holy God it is His perfect beauty and holiness next to our ugliness. This is one reason some people have problems with worship on both corporate and private levels. When we decide to really worship God, He will expose our true selves. This is hard for human nature to accept. Whether we want to face it or not, our lives are already open books before God. He is the One who searches the hearts, and knows every imagination of the thoughts. We, however, do not always remember that God is a loving Father, who loves us in spite of ourselves, yet He has called us to worship Him (John 4:23-24).
We must understand that when God exposes us He does so with the purpose in mind of fine tuning us that we may accomplish greater things for His glory.
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Experiencing Worship, The Study