Unfailing Love

Joel 2:12 - 14

"That is why the Lord says, 'Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothing in grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before."

As I was reading during my devotion this morning, this passage of scripture stood out to me more than any other. I could have easily thought on the more familiar passage from 2 Timothy 1 that says God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and of a sound mind, but I would not have been doing myself justice.

It is easy to go with the things we know and neglect something more God has for us by leaving out the unknown. I love the first part of verse 13 here. "Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead."

From everything I have read before in the Old Testament, the custom was to try off the clothing put on sackcloth and cry out loudly to God. Instead here Joel gets more to the heart of God, surrendering our hearts. When we let our hearts become broken for God put ourselves in a position for God to begin to do great things in our lives.

None of us are perfect and there are going to be times that we mess up royally. I am no different, however, I have found God to be exactly what He says here in Joel, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love. No matter how undeserving I am of those attributes there is is with open arms ready to receive me.

When I think of that my prayer can only be, Lord may my heart be torn for you, may my heart be broken into millions of pieces to where You are the only One who can mend and restore. May I be broken for you because in brokenness comes blessing.