In Isaiah we read of the importance of serving God in the right way, with the right attitude and motives. The fasts that Israel were keeping as per the Law were done for the wrong reasons, to seek their own pleasure, to quarrel and to fight. The Sabbath was to do God’s pleasure, not their own.
Instead Isaiah reminds Israel of the need to humble oneself, to share bread with the hungry, house the homeless, and cover those without clothes. The Sabbath was a day to be honoured, for “not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly”.
This message for Israel is a good reminder for our lives, of the importance of both helping others, and of serving God with the correct attitude. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”