Joel 2:12-13
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
The book of Joel starts with a prophecy of God's coming day of judgement. But there is hope if we repent and return to God "with all your heart"(verse 12), for God is "gracious and merciful" (verse 13). But our repentance has to be from the heart, not just an outward show of apology: "rend your hearts and not your garments" (verse 13). Too often we are sorry because we don't like the consequences, so we make a vow to do better, but our heart is not really changed. The problem is that it is easier to change our garments than to change our heart. To rend our heart is to admit that our heart is no good, that it needs repair. This is something we should do "with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning" (verse 12). God will honor that kind of genuine repentance.
God, I confess that I need a new heart.
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
The book of Joel starts with a prophecy of God's coming day of judgement. But there is hope if we repent and return to God "with all your heart"(verse 12), for God is "gracious and merciful" (verse 13). But our repentance has to be from the heart, not just an outward show of apology: "rend your hearts and not your garments" (verse 13). Too often we are sorry because we don't like the consequences, so we make a vow to do better, but our heart is not really changed. The problem is that it is easier to change our garments than to change our heart. To rend our heart is to admit that our heart is no good, that it needs repair. This is something we should do "with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning" (verse 12). God will honor that kind of genuine repentance.
God, I confess that I need a new heart.