Joel 1-3: Psalm 140
*Click here to read these passages:
“That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is
time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and
mourning. Don’t tear your clothing
in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and
compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.”
(Joel 2:12-13 NLT)
In Biblical times men and women would tear their clothing when
they were mourning or when they were fasting. God is telling them to fast and to mourn—to be remorseful
for their sins. But He also tells
them to tear their hearts and not their clothes.
He had seen it before.
They would tear their clothes and fast and put on the show of
repentance, but then nothing would change. He wants them to know that their time is short and they need
to get real.
God uses Joel to send a wake up call for the southern nation of
Judah and for anyone reading the book of Joel today. You don’t know when
your time is up. Life is
short. No more just going through
the motions. Time to get real. No more half-way … If you are going to
follow me, be all in!
I keep coming back to the verse in Psalm 139 from yesterday - the
dare to pray these words: Search
me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in
me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
The way everlasting starts now. Lord, I’m all in. Search my heart, show me anything that
is apart from you, and lead me as I repent and follow you.
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