2025 SCoC Fasting - Additional Devotionals on Prayer
Prayer that opens the doors to heaven.
2 Chronicles 7:13-15
Meaning of these words
Heaven - Hebrew Hashamymin, does not mean “celestial city”. It represents the sky, hence rain.
Name - Hebrew Shem, means one’s reputation.
Reputation - When God says, "If my people, who are called by my name, will seek Me," He is calling us to represent Him—to be an example of His character and uphold His reputation.
Many people question the existence of God because they see so much evil in the world. However, as disciples of Christ, we are meant to shine in the darkness. Where there is evil, we are called to represent God’s goodness and overcome evil with good. God's people should be a living testament to His power, drawing others to Him, not because of our perfection, but because we reflect His love and truth. If we fail to represent God well, He may remove His blessings to protect His name and reputation. This is why we are warned not to misuse the Lord’s name in vain. It’s not just about avoiding empty words, but about living as true Christians. If we call ourselves Christians, we must reflect Christ’s love, humility, and forgiveness. Our lives should honor His name, not mirror the world’s ways.
So this command to humble ourselves before God is a voluntary surrender of everything we have. If we turn to God in prayer and seek his face or presence.
Prayer: Hebrew is Palal Heres. A visual of what this word looks like a mouth that speaks with hands lifted or reaching upward to heaven. In the Semitic meaning, it means to notch in a tent peg that stands against the storms. The peg is what secures the tent to the ground. We are that tent peg seeking to bring God’s presence. God’s people are his connection to earth we uphold his reputation especially through the storms. Pray is choosing to wrap ourselves with God.
Quiet time #1
Matthew 9:14-17 (also found in Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39)
In this passage, Jesus is responding to a question about why His disciples do not fast, unlike the Pharisees or John's disciples.
His response uses two main metaphors to explain the significance of His presence and mission.
The Bridegroom Metaphor: Jesus compares Himself to a bridegroom (a common biblical image for God or the Messiah) and His disciples to guests at a wedding. In Jewish culture, weddings were times of celebration, not mourning. The idea is that while Jesus, the "bridegroom," is with His disciples, it is a time of joy, not fasting or mourning.
Fasting is often associated with longing or seeking God's intervention, especially in times of distress or separation, but while Jesus is physically present with them, it is a time of celebration because the Kingdom of God is at hand.
“The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them" refers to His future death, when His disciples will mourn and fast in anticipation of His return.
The Patch and Wineskin Metaphors: These two illustrations highlight that Jesus' teaching and the new covenant He brings cannot be simply added to the old system of religious practices or rituals.
Unshrunk cloth on an old garment: If you sew an unshrunk patch on an old garment, when it shrinks, it will tear away from the fabric, worsening the tear. This suggests that the new covenant Jesus is establishing is incompatible with the old ways of following the law (represented by the old garment). His message requires a new approach, not a patching up of the old.
New wine in old wineskins: In ancient times, wineskins made from animal hides would stretch as the wine fermented. If you put new wine (which is still fermenting and expanding) into old, brittle wineskins, they would burst. This illustrates that Jesus’ new teachings and the Kingdom He is bringing cannot be contained within the old structures of religious practice. New wineskins are needed for the new wine, symbolizing the necessity of a new understanding, mindset, and system for living out the Kingdom of God.
Summary: Jesus is saying that His presence among them signifies the arrival of a new era, one of joy, celebration, and transformation. His message cannot be added to the old ways; it requires a new way of thinking, living, and relating to God. Fasting, in this case, is not appropriate while He is present, but it does have its place while He is gone.