Thursday, March 10, 2011
Joel 2:12-13 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." 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.
RETURN TO THE LORD
To be called upon to return implies that one has first gone away. The prophet Isaiah comfirms our departure when he says, "We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way" (53:6a).
We don't like to be called to account for our acts of straying. Our flesh does whatever it can to insist, "No, but I haven't strayed!" Instead of admitting that we are sinful, we sometimes resort to hiding our guilt or blaming others for it.
What brings us back? What turns us around when we have disobeyed? Is it the thundering threats of the Law from Mount Sinai? Are we drawn closer to God by hearing how He will pour out His anger on those who transgress His holy will? No. A knowledge of our guilt and sin's danger to our souls is important to have (we need to know we have a problem), but Judas too knew he was in the wrong and that knowledge by itself didn't turn him back to God.
Look at what the prophet Joel says: "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." God calls us to Himself not by flexing His muscles in a display of terrifying power, but by revealing to us His heart--His gracious and merciful heart which sent His own dear Son to the cross to suffer in our place. His is a heart which is slow to anger and abounding in love. This kind of heart moves our hearts. This kind of invitation makes us glad to return to Him!
Jesus gives us true repentance
By His Spirit sent from heav'n;
Whispers this transporting sentence,
"Son, thy sins are all forgiv'n."
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 358:3)
