Weekly Devotion no 31
30 October 2020
Bible reading – Joel 2:12-17[1]
12 The Lord announces to his
people,
“Return to me with all your heart.
There is still time.
Do not eat any food.
Weep and mourn.”
13 Don’t just tear your clothes to show
how sad you are.
Let your hearts be broken.
Return to the Lord your God.
He is gracious.
He is tender and kind.
He is slow to get angry.
He is full of love.
He won’t bring his judgment.
He won’t destroy you.
14 Who knows? He might turn toward you
and not bring his judgment.
He might even give you his blessing.
Then you can bring grain offerings and drink offerings
to the Lord your God.
15 Priests, blow the trumpets in Zion.
Announce a holy fast.
Tell the people not to eat anything.
Gather them together for a special service.
16 Bring them together.
Set all of them apart to me.
Bring together the elders.
Gather the children and the babies
who are still nursing.
Let the groom leave his bedroom.
Let the bride leave their marriage bed.
17 Let the priests who serve the Lord weep.
Let them cry between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say, “Lord, spare your people.
Don’t let others make fun of them.
Don’t let the nations laugh at them.
Don’t let them tease your people and say,
‘Where is their God?’ ”
Reflection
So far, Joel has painted a picture of a relentless swarm of locusts, leaving complete destruction in their wake. They appear unstoppable and the nations quake as they approach. In the first half of Chapter 2, Joel likens the locust plague to God’s judgement which, on the Day of the Lord, will come with as much determination, and the nations will be brought to justice. So great and terrible will be this day that no one will be able to endure it.[1]
But in our reading today, they were given hope! Although judgement is present, it was not too late for the people to return to God and repent from their turning away from Him. God was not interested in their outward appearance of repentance, He only wants to see their hearts change.
This is only possible because of God’s character. We are reminded that God is gracious, tender and kind, slow to anger, and full of love. It is only through God’s grace, through His constancy of character, that hope is given. It is He alone who can show mercy.
And so the people are moved to prayer: prayer as a whole nation with all generations gathering as priority to come before God, to repent, and to seek His blessing, by recognising His character. And all for God’s glory before the nations, that they might see that He is God.
Like the nation of
Israel, God wants us to recognise the seriousness of our sin and to recognise
the price that was paid for our sakes by our Saviour, God’s Son, Jesus Christ when
He died on the cross for us. We need to change our whole attitude as we turn
back to God and not just mutter a token plea for forgiveness. And we too can
rely on God’s character, knowing He is the same yesterday, today forever. May
we pray that others might know God through our prayers and our praise of Him.
Hymn
Verse 1
O the deep deep love of Jesus
Vast unmeasured boundless free
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me
Underneath me all around me
Is the current of Thy love
Leading onward leading homeward
To my glorious rest above
Verse 2
O the deep deep love of Jesus
Spread His praise from shore to shore
How He loveth ever loveth
Changeth never nevermore
How He watches o'er His loved ones
Died to call them all His own
How for them He intercedeth
Watches over them from the
throne
Verse 3
O the deep deep love of Jesus
Love of every love the best
'Tis an ocean vast of blessing
'Tis a haven sweet of rest
O the deep deep love of Jesus
'Tis a heaven of heavens to me
And it lifts me up to glory
For it lifts me up to Thee
Prayer
God of peace,
you taught us that in
returning and rest we shall be saved,
in quietness and
confidence shall be our strength:
by the power of your
Spirit
lift us to your
presence,
where we may be still
and know that you are God;
through Jesus Christ
our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.
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