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Zechariah. For God's Sake? 7:1-7. 29 January 2025

Zec 7:1 In the fourth year of King Darius,
the word of Yahweh was addressed to Zechariah
on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.
2 Bethel sent Sharezer with a deputation to entreat Yahweh's favour
3 and to ask the priests in the Temple of Yahweh Sabaoth and the prophets,
'Ought I to go on mourning and fasting in the fifth month
as I have been doing for so many years past?'
4 Then the word of Yahweh Sabaoth was addressed to me as follows,
5 'Say to all the people of the country and to the priests,
"While you have been fasting and mourning in the fifth and seventh months
for the past seventy years,
have you really been fasting for my sake? 6 And when you were eating and drinking,
were you not eating and drinking for your own sake?
7 Do you not know the words which Yahweh proclaimed through the prophets in the past,
when Jerusalem was inhabited and secure,
as were her surrounding towns,
and when the Negeb and the lowlands were inhabited?" '

Should I Fast?

Perhaps I should. Not to please God.
It helps me to learn to control some of my addictions.
It may help to focus more on prayer and spiritual matters instead of thinking about food.

My Fasting

In the past, I did some fasting. Did it help me? I am not sure. Did it produce some good fruits? I do not know. Did it help me to pray better? I am not aware of that.
Should I do fasting to 'force' God to do 'my will'? For God's sake, no.
I am however willing to find out a little more of God's will.

Prayer

Jesus, guide me in prayer and in fasting. Please instruct me.