REND YOUR HEART

Today for my quiet time I read in the Old Testament, Joel 2:1-17. Verses 12 and 13 really spoke to my heart.

"Yet even now," declares the Lord.
"Return to Me with all your hear ,
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 and abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil.

I need to return to God with ALL of my heart. I know that I am a sinner saved only by the grace of God. But have I truly repented and mourned my sin? It was the custom in those days to tear, rip and/or split your garments in great anguish as a sign of mourning. The LORD wants us to be so repentant and so sorry for our sin that we will rend our hearts and not our clothing. Am I sorry enough for my sin that I would rip out my heart? Do I have true repentance for my sin? Do I have a godly grief that will change my mind, heart and life to want to turn from a godless life to real life with HIM? I need to recognize that life without God is wrong and to be so completely sorry for the pain that I have caused by the godless life I have lived and to change to God's way of living. REND in this verse literally means in the Hebrew "to cut out." Are you so pained over your sin, so grieved over your sin that you are willing to cut out your heart in order to change to live God's way?

I know that I have not lived a bad life. I am in ministry and I have accepted Jesus as Savior and LORD of my life. I am trusting HIM each and every day, but I need to remember that every time I sin, no matter how small or large, it cost HIM a great price. He died because of my selfishness, pride, boasting, and self-centered ego. He died for the sin of hateful words, proud words, and gossip that comes from my tongue.

Lord, do we ever truly have godly grief over our sin? Is our sin ever before us? Are we aware of our sin, and know that living a godless life is wrong? How can we be truly repentant of our sin? Are we ever so grieved that we literally mourn over our sin as if a loved one had died? Are we truly sorry for the pain that we have caused others by going our own way and not willling to live God's way?

Help me, LORD, to truly be in mourning over my sin. Help me to carry out Your Word and to listen to your voice. Thank You that You are gracious and compassionate toward us. That You are slow to anger, abound in lovingkindness and that You do relent of evil towards Your children. This is the grace and mercy that we do not deserve.

I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving up to You for Your goodness and lovingkindness towards me.