Joel 2:12-13 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
The tearing of clothes and pouring the dust of the earth over one's head was an outward show of mourning, and possibly repentance, depending on the circumstance. However, in these verses, God is trying to warn the people of Israel that He is more interested in what is in their hearts, than what they show outwardly. The previous warning in this chapter is a warning of what is to come in the Day of the Lord, the Tribulation Period. God desires that none should perish and wants to see true repentance from His people, before it is too late. It is not enough to say words that sound good. It is not enough to weep, mourn, and fast, without a change of heart. God is not interested in our outward acts of contrition. He sees beyond our outward actions and expressions and goes right to the heart. If we truly want to experience God's forgiveness, then it begins with a repentance that comes from deep within. Only then will our outward expressions of contrition be in sync with what is happening inwardly; and only then will the lost receive salvation, and the true born again follower of Christ experience true forgiveness. We cannot fool the God who sees the heart with the outward facades we use to fool men.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).
No comments:
Post a Comment