Drawn Closer to the Heart of God

Bible Verse:
“Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, and relenting of evil.” Joel 2:12-13

My thought for today is the fact that it is you and I who move away from God and not Him from us. The saddest commentary I know is the fact that God stands silent as I choose to sin against Him. I can see Him now as He stands next to me with tears in His eyes, wanting me to understand that there is so much more in life than the self gratification that at times I choose for myself.

Joel is writing to a people who have walked away from God in order to serve other gods. They have ignored their covenant with God, stopped worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They have set aside all that they had been taught through the prophets to follow their own hearts desire. God is patient. Thought He wants us to understand that there are consequences in our choices, He will not interfere with our decisions. It must grieve Him so to see us chose refuse when we could be feasting upon His love. He is saddened to have to punish us for our disobedience.

It is important that during this time of preparation that we examine our lives. We need to look closely at the choices that we have made. The fact is true we are either walking with God or we have turned our back on God.

Joel calls us to search our heart and return with open arms to be received by the One who loves us unconditionally. There is NOTHING that we could have done that God does not already know and yet still loves us. It is you and I that need to turn toward God. He has been with us all of the time.

Do not waste another moment. Turn to God and confess your sins and He will forgive you and receive you back forgiven. God is compassionate and wants us to know that He is waiting for you and I to make the first move. Let’s no disappoint Him!

Are you walking with God? Is your heart right with Him? Have you been following the desires of your heart or seek the love of the Lord? Open up! Return to the One who is abounding in loving kindness. Life is filled with choices so let’s choose today who we will serve as we prepare for the coming of Christ.

Bob