Day Six
Joel 2:12-17
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?' "
Reflection
When we have strayed from God He calls us back. The Lord wants our hearts, not lip service. He wants all our heart, soul, mind and strength. He wants us to weep for our sins. Godly sorrow leads to repentance and conversion. Fasting is an external way of displaying an inner desire to turn away from sin. God does not want to punish us. He wants to forgive us, but He will never force us to renounce our sins and turn to Him: He only invites us.
Repentance and conversion is not simply an individual thing: the whole people of God, the church, is called to publicly turn away from sin and believe more firmly in the gospel. The season of Lent in particular is a special time of fasting, prayer and repentance. All year round, however, God's invitation to repentace is extended to the world. The Lord wants to display his glory to all the nations through the example of vibrant Christians: "See how they love one another."
Prayer
Have mercy on me, a sinner, O God. Cleanse my heart of all defilement, enlighten my mind and strengthen my spirit. I renounce sin and its false pleasures. I renounce satan, father of sin and prince of darkness. I embrace you, O Jesus, as my Lord and Savior.
Amen.
