Day 5 Look Up Not Down
Isaiah 58:7-8
Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Isaiah 58:3–12 explains the attitude we should have toward fasting so that we can fast in a way that honours God. Verses 7–8 remind us to humble ourselves before Him in our fasting, showing us that fasting is less about going without food and more about turning our focus back to God and the things that matter to Him. When we fast in this way, it not only pleases God but also unlocks blessings, revelation, and a deeper connection with Jesus.
I once heard a preacher say, “Our social media feeds are full, but our souls are empty.” The pace of life and the constant pull of technology can genuinely make us feel distant from God, and fasting exposes what has quietly taken first place in our hearts.
If we’re honest, most of us spend more time on our phones than we think. We scroll through social media, watch endless videos, or get wrapped up in the lives of people we’ll never meet. In fact, let’s test it. If you have a smartphone, head to your Settings, find “Screen Time,” and check your daily average. I’ll be the first to admit, it doesn’t look good. Mine is 4 hours and 3 minutes.
That’s over four hours of my day spent looking down at a screen rather than up at God. That is not the posture God invites us into when He calls us to fast and pray. I hope that little exercise gives you a moment of shock and a moment of clarity about where your priorities might be, especially as you fast and seek God.
Whatever you’re facing or believing for, God wants to lead you forward and bring breakthrough (v8). Earlier in the passage, the Israelites complained that they had been fasting but hadn’t seen breakthrough. Isaiah responds, “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please.” They were fasting, but their focus was still inward.
Fasting with the right attitude brings breakthrough, but when our priorities drift, it’s easy to feel disconnected. Today, as you pray and fast, may it realign your focus. As Psalm 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word,” may your attention be lifted upward rather than pulled downward. And as you look to Jesus, may you experience the promise of Isaiah 58:8, that He will lead you forward and protect you from behind.
Family Discussion Questions
1. How much time would you say you spend on your devices? Is it close to the time you spend in prayer and reading Scripture?
2. What is one practical thing you can do today to realign your focus on God rather than yourself? Maybe it’s praying for someone, being a listening ear, or even putting your phone away and picking up a paper Bible?
3. In Isaiah 58:3–12, God challenged Israel to shift their attitude and actions while they waited for breakthrough. As you wait on God in your own season, what do you sense He might be asking you to change, realign, or step into during the waiting?