Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you.” When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.
1 Samuel 7:5-6
Sundown today marks the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is a day of fasting and repentance, a day to seek the Lord. It is a day to make things right between you and God as well as you and other people.
For believers in Jesus, I believe this remains an important day. Yes, those of us who have placed our faith in him have been forgiven. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that at that moment we are now perfect. There is junk in our lives that needs to be cleaned up. While Passover requires cleaning the house to make sure all leaven is gone, we need to spiritually clean ourselves out regularly. The Day of Atonement was set aside to do that. We need to confess our sins before the Lord. We need to ask him to show us the sins in our lives that we need to address.
May you hunger for him on this day of fasting.