Return!

Return!

“Even now,” says the Lord, “Turn and come to Me with all your heart [in genuine repentance], With fasting and weeping and mourning [until every barrier is removed and the broken fellowship is restored];
JOEL 2:12 AMP

For anyone who desires fellowship with God on a new level, or who desires a restoration of the relationship that may have suffered damage in the past, today's extract is the key. If we put today's extract in the right context, we see God warning his people that their day of visitation for his judgment was at hand. His people had rejected Him and followed after other masters, and despite several warnings, the people had refused to return. Of course, with God, sin will NEVER go unpunished.

It is clear that it is never God's plan to put his people under the pain of judgment. He does all He can to ensure that his children know His Word and He supplies grace to enable them obey. When all has been done and people still rebel, then the only response is punishment. Even with the threat of punishment, God still extends a hand of mercy, promising that if His people truly repented and returned to Him, He would restore them.

The repentance has to be sincere and total. God is too 'knowledgable' for anyone to think you can fool Him with hypocrisy and eye service. He does not settle for less than all of my heart. If it is not all I am giving Him, I shouldn't bother coming. And when I come, I had better pay close attention to what God desires: fasting, weeping and mourning. These mean that my heart must be in what I am doing, and there has to be a sincere desire to seek God's face, find his mercy and receive restoration. Why should I  do all the activities, if I know that I am not sincere? Why waste my time keeping up appearances, if I know I am not truly seeking God?

So, it is clear: if I seek God sincerely, I will find Him. If I do not, I will not find Him; in fact, at some point, I will have to face His judgment. Paying the price down here is easier; God promises that I will find Him. After here, it is too late. So, whilst I have the assurance of God's attentions, now is the time to sincerely seek Him. His time of favour is here.