Week of 2/17-2/23: Scattered - The Rise and Fall of the Southern Kingdom

Day Three: Joel 2:12-13” Even now— [this is] the Lord’s declaration—turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. “

LET’S PRETEND that through some way of manipulation or circumstance you happened to begin the habit of eating things that were not considered food. You begin eating chunks of tire, bark off of trees, plastic straws, sheets of notebook paper, and other uneatable items.

If I discovered this poor choice of eating habits that you had fallen into, I would begin to appeal to you to turn from it. Repent from these awful eating habits. One of the ways I could try to convince you to repent from these habits is by explaining the health effects associated with how you are eating. I could point out that your body is not getting the nourishment it needs.

You know how else I can appeal to you? Through your appetite. I can begin to describe for you the satisfaction, delight, and joy found in great tasting food. Real food. I could remind you of how tasteful a steak, a slice of pizza, or a plate of chicken fajitas are. And by appealing to your sense of taste, and the reality that you are not eating tasteful food, perhaps you would turn from the error of your ways.

In many ways, this is what God does through the prophet Joel as He communicates to the people. He commands them to repent of their wayward lives and rebellious ways, and to turn to Him. He then appeals to their need for something better to feast upon— Himself. He exalts His own attributes and character, such as His glory, mercy, patience, and love. He reminds us of how tasty, satisfying, and delightful He truly is.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why do people often turn away from God?

▷▷What is the danger of turning away from God?

▷▷How can we keep from turning away from God?