Monday · 2026-10-12

Here is your daily Come Follow Me devotional for Monday, October 12, 2026.

Understanding True Fasting and Honoring the Sabbath Day

Today's Scripture Reading

Isaiah 58:1-14 can be found at: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/58?lang=eng

Context for Our Study

In Isaiah chapter 58, the prophet Isaiah delivers a powerful message from the Lord to a people who are outwardly performing religious duties such as fasting and observing the Sabbath, yet their hearts and actions are not aligned with God's true intent. They wonder why the Lord does not acknowledge their fasting, seemingly perplexed by His silence despite their efforts to afflict their souls. The Lord, through Isaiah, reveals that their religious practices have become mere rituals, marred by self-interest, contention, and a lack of genuine compassion for others. This passage serves as a divine course correction, teaching that true worship involves not only personal devotion but also sincere service and love for our fellow beings.

Reflective Questions

1. Isaiah describes a "chosen fast" that involves loosening bands of wickedness, undoing heavy burdens, letting the oppressed go free, and sharing bread with the hungry (Isaiah 58:6-7). In what ways might our fasting, beyond abstaining from food and drink, lead us to more actively engage in acts of service and compassion for those around us?
2. The Lord invites us to "call the sabbath a delight" and honor Him by turning away from our own pleasures and speaking our own words (Isaiah 58:13). How can we more consciously transform our Sabbath day from merely a day of rest into a joyful, Christ-centered experience that brings us closer to God and others?

Closing Tying Insight

Isaiah 58 clearly teaches that our religious observance, including fasting and Sabbath keeping, is not about outward show but about inward transformation that leads to Christlike action. The Lord desires a fast that moves us to serve the poor and afflicted, and a Sabbath that we honor as a sacred delight, focusing on Him and His purposes rather than our own temporal desires. When we align our hearts with these divine principles, our light will break forth, our health will spring forth, and the Lord will answer our calls. Today, let us intentionally seek to make our spiritual practices more sincere and service-oriented.