Turn unto the Lord your God
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 2:14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Prophet Joel was a fearless preacher sent by God to the southern kingdom of Judah who had digress from the Lord and sinned against His commandment. It was a time of God's judgement to His people and they were ready feeling the heat of God's wrath.
Joel calls on the people to repent, with fasting, weeping and mourning. Every aspect of a repentant heart is portrayed. The nation must utterly turn with remorse to the Lord. The extent to which Joel calls them to repent manifest the extent they have gone into sin.
The people were at the point of death because of the environmental calamity as a result of them developing a culture of sin. He then called the people to repent in their hearts in order that God bring the relief from destruction.
Just like the southern kingdom of Judah, many of us, individually or collectively as a nation has developed a culture of sin, and we continue to sink deeper in it daily. Instead of living in the righteousness and holiness of God, we yielded to the deceit or the flesh and fell into sin.
But today, the Lord, in His infinite love, beckons us to return, not with superficial gestures, but with a genuine contrition that pierces our hearts. The call to "rend your hearts and not your garments" in Joel 2:13 emphasizes the importance of inner renewal, a sincere turning away from sin, and a genuine desire to seek God's forgiveness.
Fasting, weeping, and mourning are not just symbolic actions but expressions of a broken spirit and a contrite heart. They signify a recognition of our dependence on God and a willingness to humble ourselves before Him. In times of trouble or waywardness, these practices become channels through which we can draw closer to God, seeking His guidance and mercy.
Joel's message is timeless, Today, we are called to heed this divine invitation. In the hustle and bustle of life, let us take a moment to reflect on our relationship with the Lord. Are we wholeheartedly devoted to Him, or have we allowed the distractions of the world to distance us?
As we turn unto the Lord our God, may we do so with authenticity and sincerity. Let our fasting be a symbol of our hunger for righteousness, our weeping a testament to our genuine sorrow for wrongdoing, and our mourning a sign of our desire for transformation.
In conclusion, Turn unto the Lord your God with all your heart, and experience the grace and mercy that await those who seek Him sincerely. Amen.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the blessing of your word today in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, I come before you with the humbleness of my heart, forgive me all my sins and wrong doings in Jesus Christ name.
3. Lord, renew my heart and restore your spirit withing me in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you Lord for answered prayers, for in Jesus Christ name have we prayed. Amen.