Joel 2:12 – March 4, 2020

Yet even now-oracle of the LORD-return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Joel 2:12 NABRE         

The prophet is warning the people the day of the Lord is coming, the Lord will come in judgement and everyone must be ready. This chapter opens with imagery to get the people’s attention and goes on to describe the power of the Lord coming. When He comes the day will be great and terrible. The prophet speaks of darkness and fire, a garden so beautiful turned to wilderness. A powerful army on horses thundering toward the people, the army ready for battle. The people will be in anguish as warriors charge, intent on making their way, nothing will throw them off course. The army will take over the city, on the roofs, in the windows, they are so powerful they make the earth quake. Then the Lord speaks, his army exceedingly great, this day of the Lord is powerful and terrible. The prophet asks, who can endure it? As if just the coming of the Lord is too much to handle, his judgement will be unbearable. But we read in the quoted verse even now, the oracle of the Lord saying, return to me with your whole heart. The Lord is a merciful Lord who will give every opportunity for repentance, every chance to return to Him and avoid destruction. The message of the prophet is we don’t know the day of the Lord and we should always be vigilant. 

We should commit our whole heart to the Lord, fasting, weeping and mourning. Doing these things will show our repentance and inner conversion. By fasting now our hunger will be satisfied later; mourning now, one day we will laugh; weeping now, one day we will be consoled. We can never doubt God’s forgiveness and readiness to accept us. God’s mercy is boundless. But we must be vigilant, we don’t know the day of the Lord. 

Are you ready for the coming of the Lord? Have you turned to God?

We should commit our whole heart to the Lord, fasting, weeping and mourning. Doing these things will show our repentance and inner conversion. Click To Tweet

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