1. Therefore, also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: Joel 2:12 (KJV).

REFLECT:
Everyone seeing how far derailed our world is will agree that we need a redirection. A redirection back to sanity, peace, love for each other, and, arguably the most important, back to the knowledge, fear, and reverence of a Holy God.

It is a sad thing to see how very set we humans are in our ways. We are so dependent on doing things our way and leaving God out of the equation. Right after the fall in the Garden of Eden, we have continued to stubbornly and rebelliously deviate from God’s way of doing things, having fastidiously followed our own devices and the imaginations of our hearts.

Indeed, we have all gone our way according to Isaiah 53:6a, puts it, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” So, in all this what should we get as a reward for our rebellious behavior? If we are sincere to ourselves, the verdicts we witness around us are nothing but chaos, heartache, death, deprivation, hunger, lack, sickness, disease, wickedness, hate, murder, and many more such disheartening experiences.

Our taking sides with the devil, and abandoning God’s Divine rule and purposes for our lives and the world, in general, has cost us so much and we must begin to realize this and seek the right guidance and direction possible to help us step out of the dungeon(s) of our mistakes.

So, what is the solution to this problem? What is the way out? Like our Bible verse for today’s reading advice, the only way out for us is to sincerely seek out the Lord. There is no other plausible way other than this. Frankly, we have tried it our way, and this has not solved our problems.

We have gone through every book man has invented claiming to help better situations, but rather than solving the problem we keep going under. We keep hitting the wall and not getting past the issues we face. Therefore, it is time to come with humble hearts to God our Heavenly Father and ask for a total make-over, a redirection.

So, what would this redirection look like? As our Bible verse for today (Joel 2:12) explains, we must realize our mistakes. Our sin of rebelliousness, abandoning God our creator and then taking sides with the devil. Then in genuine and sincere remorse, bring total repentance and ask for forgiveness from God.

Great ways of showing how sorry we are can take so many forms, such as going on a fast, heartfelt sorrow and spiritual brokenness, weeping, and mourning. We must put aside all forms of fleshly lustfulness and prideful showmanship. Nevertheless, no matter how we want to go about this, it must come from a sincere and broken heart.

Then we must decide to turn from our wicked ways back to God, promising to put Him first in our lives. The reasons, for going through this is not only for Heaven’s records alone, but also that we are notifying the kingdom of darkness that we are making a clean break from the evil influences and hold they have us under, and that we are shifting camps to God’s Kingdom and righteousness.

Furthermore, it does not stop at the point where we make our proclamations and decisions to go God’s way, if we read further down the entire chapter of Joel 2, we notice an immediate shift, God orchestrates a redirection. He answers and reinstates us back to His good pleasure. (Please read the entire chapter of Joel 2. It is a beautiful testimony of God’s goodness and mercy).

When we find we have gone astray from following God, it should not be a time to run away from Him, rather it should be the time for us to run back to Him in sincere remorse and heartfelt brokenness. For our God who is rich in mercy and compassion will receive us back to Himself again.

Ebimobo W. Obasi

PLEASE PRAY ALONG:

A Prayer of Repentance.

FATHER GOD, even after I disobey You, You still call after me. You still love me abundantly. Thank you for making a way for me to return to You. Please make anything that dishonors You completely unappealing to me. Change my heart and make me eager to seek after You and Your righteousness. In JESUS’ MIGHTY NAME AMEN!