Our God Who Pursues: Guiding Us Back to HimНамуна

Week 1: Repentance and Restoration

Repentance Over Regret

Read: Joel 1

SOAP: Joel 1:13-14

"Get dressed and lament, you priests. Wail, you who minister at the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God, because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of your God anymore. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."

Into the Text

In the opening lines of the book of Joel, we see that swarms of locusts have overtaken and decimated the people of Israel. All food is gone. The land has dried up, and the people and animals are in mourning. Joel proclaims that the Day of the Lord - the day of judgment - is near. He calls the people to repent and turn back to their faith in the Lord.

The swarms of locusts are no random occurrence for the people of Israel. They are judgment for the people’s sin. It should remind them of the Lord’s judgment on Egypt during the plagues (Exodus 10:1-20). Whenever God brings judgment upon the people, it is not a product of rash action or vengeful anger. Instead, God allows judgment to occur in order to show them that He is the only one who can bring hope, life, and peace.

Joel tells us that the people were failing to bring grain and drink offerings to the temple. These offerings were meant to be given in faith as an act of worship and trust that God would provide for them.

True repentance is more than simply being sad that you were caught or sad over the consequences of your sin. Rather, true repentance comes from deep sorrow over our sinfulness and the realization that we have grieved God and hurt other people. It is seeking forgiveness and running to Christ.

We, too, are just like the Israelites. We are sinners and need to repent from our sins. Our sin keeps us from having a relationship with God. This is why Jesus came. He paid the ultimate price for our sins so that we can now ask for forgiveness and live an abundant life through the work of Jesus.

May our lives be marked by a recognition of sin, a godly sorrow, and a quick response to turn and run to our good and loving Savior.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for paying for my sins. Help me to recognize when I have gone against your ways, and help me to confess and run back to you because that is where life is ultimately found. Amen.