“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.” (Joel 2:13-14)

Once sin entered our lives, judgment has been evident as death would be the end of our lives here on earth. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) It also brought to us separation from God. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2) And yet, God had a plan and was beginning to develop that plan which would bring forgiveness to sin and end the separation from Him. His plan would open the way to Him through Jesus as He rose from the dead.

All along the way as God was implementing His plan, He calls to mankind to have faith in Him. Faith, which comes from our heart. As the people of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses said to them, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) It starts in the heart. As we are separated from God because of sin, He calls us to bring to Him our heart. The change starts not on the outside, but in our heart. The prophet Joel says, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God.” (Joel 2:13)

When we come to God, we find His character, compassion and grace. Joel writes, “for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” (Joel 2:3b) It is because of His character that He gave us His compassion and grace by sending Jesus Christ to take our judgment and give us a new life. “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28) God’s compassion comes to us as He comes to dwell in our lives as we put our faith in Him. He gives us the Holy Spirit who provides strength to live the new life. Paul’s prayer, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:16-17)

As we walk daily with the Living Word and the Written Word of God, we open our hearts for God to show us His compassion and grace. Then we can live our new life showing to others God’s compassion and grace that they may come to Him with their hearts. We also are to pray for each other that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block