Sunday, September 11, 2011

Reflections on Joel

A journal entry on something beautiful I'd like to share.  My thoughts are short, and I do believe there are many New Testament verses that correlate if anyone wishes to take the time to find them and share.  I hope this encourages you; He is so good to us.  :)

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     "'Yet even more,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 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. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and, and leave a blessing behind Him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?" - Joel 2:12-14

     "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
     "Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
     "The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
     "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And My people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame."     - God (Joel 2:21-27)

     This is all about God "dealing wondrously" with Israel, turning punishment into grace and wrath into blessing.  How He has done that with us in Jesus! God's command to His people here is to rejoice in His love and mercy, and He leaves behind Him an offering to be given back in celebration, rather than the destruction His wrath would bring.
      We, too, have been saved from destruction.  Maybe not from physical locusts, but from many other kinds of death. And we too have an offering to give - namely, ourselves, renewed in the Spirit and being made able to live a life that pleases God. And what should be our response? Rejoice! Our lives should be a joyful, celebratory offering, declaring God's goodness and grace.  

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