Seeking God in JOEL

“And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” JOEL 2:13

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ome wolves among us would have us believe that the Lord welcomes our sacrifice –money-, as our sign of repentance. The Jews’ outward manifestation of indignation or pain was to rent their clothes. God saw that. And He still cares more about what we do in private. More than what we do, He examines our disposition…the condition of our heart. Sometimes we get caught up in the culture of being religious and forget our first love. It is easier to indulge in fantasies of sanctification than to be a real saint. Jesus washed feet, and His heart was in the right place. Let us not be like white tombs in our walk with Him. We fed the homeless last Friday? We gave a percent of our salary to the poor? Why let the world know? Why rent our clothes? Why brag before the Lord as if He were impressionable flesh? Keep thy heart pure, and you shall see God.

When there is an oil spill in the ocean, it spreads everywhere and pollutes all the living things. So it is when we rent our clothes in public, open our mouth and spill the word of our Christian goodwill. Our Lord is not interested in love that entertains like a Hollywood movie; rather, He delights in the nurse that quietly tends to the patient without a family, and brings him his favorite food when no one is watching. Our Lord rejoices in a heart that bends like a sunflower towards His light. In secret, in truth, worship. Share silence with Him and let God adorn your lips with a smile. Come to Him as you are. Scars do not make you less in His sight, quite the contrary. Bring the heart of repentance and true worship, and keep the money to do with it according to the instruction in your spirit.