stephen R Harrison

“When You Give, Pray, and Fast”

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

–Matthew 6:21

Martyn Lloyd Jones says Jesus’ commands in Matthew 6 about giving, prayer, and fasting describe our relationships with others (giving), God (prayer), and ourselves (fasting). In a way, they all apply to relationships with God, others, and ourselves. Another command Jesus gives is about forgiveness. It especially applies to all three. As Jesus notes in the Lord’s prayer, we should forgive as we have been forgiven (Matthew 6:12). 

A key verse in this passage is Matthew 6:21. It says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. During Lent, every believer should ask themselves, “What do I treasure? Where is my heart?” Do we treasure our relationships with God and others? What about our spiritual growth in Christ? The commands Jesus gives when approaching giving, prayer, forgiveness, and fasting are to be treasured as they will directly affect and change our hearts, which, in turn, will affect our relationships.

We must notice Jesus’ giving, prayer, and fasting directions. He spoke as if these were to be regular practices in our lives. Jesus said, “When you give” (Matthew 6:2), “When you pray” (Matthew 6:5), and “When you fast” (Matthew 6:16). When speaking on forgiveness, Jesus uses the conditional phrase “If you forgive…then” (Matthew 6:14-15). It is our choice to forgive, just as it is to give, pray, and fast. However, when we choose to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13), we are reminded that we can also experience and receive the forgiveness of Christ! We are never more Christ-like than when we forgive because we are extending to others something only Jesus could do. Forgiveness is only possible by the work of Jesus on the cross. 

If we practice giving, prayer, and fasting, we will be more inclined to practice forgiveness. All three strip us of selfishness. All three cause us to be reliant on God. All three direct our focus to others. We give as stewards instead of being hoarders because of how much we have received from the Lord. We pray because we are humbled and dependent on everything from the Lord. We fast because selfishness lurks in our souls, and we say no to self-reliance. All these practices point us to the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. 

During Lent, we must allow the commands of Christ to give, pray, and fast revive our hearts toward His forgiveness of our sins and our need to forgive others who have sinned against us. The Lord desires to grow us closer to Him, closer to others, and more like Him in every way. May we allow the Spirit of God to transform us “into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Questions: 

During Lent, how is the Lord growing your giving?

How is he transforming your prayer life?

How is God using fasting to conform you more to His image?

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for your forgiveness. Because of your work on the cross, we are new creations in Christ. From the vantage point of the cross, we now see our need to give, pray, fast, and forgive others. May we allow the Spirit to draw us closer to God when we give, pray, and fast. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Read: 

Matthew 6:1-21

Action Step:

Give what the Spirit is directing you to give.

Pray for someone in person today.

Fast from something that causes you to be more self-reliant.

Forgive that person – it’s time.