March 11, 2O25

TURN TO GOD

Joel 2:12-13

Now says the Lord your God, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and wailing and with mourning; rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate. He is longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and repents of evils.

Personal Challenge

Some people believe, erroneously, that God wants us to militantly force those around us to belive in Him the way that we do and to practice worshipping Him the way that we do. That is not what God wants from His true followers, which is why Joel tells us to rend our heart and not our garments. God knows that our outward actions, or inactions, are what show the true nature of our heart. He wants our heart to be focused on Him and filled with love for our neighbor, a love that drives us to give food to the hungry, to clothe the naked, to shelter the alien amongst us, and to support those will do this as well. God’s expectations are almost always 180 degrees opposite of what the world’s are. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me ,the sinner and forgive me of taking my eyes, and heart off of you!