Your Father Who Sees in Secret Rewards Openly Matthew 6:18

Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face”, and in chapter six and verse eighteen of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “appear not unto men to fast” where we read:

That you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret:

and you Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly.

The verse reads, “That you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret:” Matthew began with the words, “that you appear” which means “so the disciples' shine, exposure and seen” “not unto men” or “not before people whether male or female” “to fast” which means “to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink either entirely or from customary choice nourishment if it continued several days”, “but” or “moreover and”, “unto your Father” or “toward the disciples' generator and originator who is God” “which is in secret” which means “who resides and dwells in a hidden, concealed and private place”. Jesus told His disciples to “fast” in such a way that other people would not know they did so, but that God would be watching though He dwells in a “hidden” place.

The verse continues, “ and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly.” Matthew added the words, “and your Father” or “and the disciples' generator and originator who is God”, “which sees” which means “who perceives, observes, discerns and discovers” “in secret” or “within the hidden, concealed and private place”, “shall reward” which refers to “will be paid like a debt, wage, tribute and requite” “you openly” or “to the disciples apparently, manifested, evident, known and recognized”. Jesus told His disciples that “God” their “Father” would observe them in “secret” and “pay” them in an “apparent and known” manner.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus wanted His disciples to “fast” before God their “Father” and not other people. God is watching those who “fast” without others knowing, and when they align with Him through belief in His Son Jesus, their “abstaining” from “food and drink” for religious exercise done in “secret” shall not go unnoticed by God and be “rewarded” by Him.

Next time Jesus tells His disciples “lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.