Day 12: Return To Me

““Yet even now,” 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 leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?”

Joel 2:12-14

 As we live on earth, it is easy to think we've got time, time to turn a new leaf, time to repent, etc. However, our devotion today creates a sense of urgency. Now is the time, not tomorrow.

God wants our hearts now, not just our money, talents, or gifts. Are our hearts chasing after Him? Are we maintaining the desire of knowing him more and more, or are we all about using God to meet our needs? It pleases Him when He is the centre of our lives, he loves when we spend time with him out of delight and not duty.

Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning talks about the posture that enables us to give him our hearts. Though, we must never mistake these spiritual exercises as what makes us acceptable before God. We are acceptable by grace and not by works.

Verse 13 admonishes us not to focus on tearing our clothing but on aligning our hearts to Him. Because it is possible to fast, pray, read the bible, and still have our hearts far from him.

Let us commit to giving the Lord our heart for now is the time.

David Mosimabale