“And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy and sour and dreary like the hypocrites, for they put on a dismal countenance, that their fasting may be apparent to and seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full already. But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may not be noticed by men but by your Father, Who sees in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.” Matthew 6:16-18 ->me: Happy Easter!! Our family had the wonderful opportunity to witness the baptism of my uncle along with what seemed like ~25 other people in the one service we went to at Northshore Community Church. I can not think of a better way to usher in and remember the Risen Lord than to witness the burial and resurrection of so many people. Additionally to understand what this means for my uncle is so precious. This caution on fasting is the last of this section from Jesus on being careful in the state of my heart when exercising deeds through faith. The one and only recipient of the glory in everything we do must be God alone. When Jesus talks about storing up treasures in heaven (psst. this is next in my reading…) by doing His work, He is saying that no treasure is stored in heaven for effort expended here on earth when glory sought is for oneself; your treasure is already rewarded in the receipt of the glory. It brings so much meaning to the phase ‘whoever makes much of Me before men, I will make much of him before My Father’.
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