Wednesday, February 17, 2010 ~ First Day of Lent ~ Ash Wednesday

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with

fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts…Joel 2:12-13

Though Joel was writing to the people of Judah, suffering from a plague of locusts devastating their land, and though he thunders, prophet-like, at them, he also reassures them that it is never too late. Whether the locusts are actual or figurative—we all suffer from plagues, drought, floods, taxes, illness, foolishness, war, politics, wrinkles—Joel reminds us that we can always come back to the Lord. But he warns that all of us need to repent and prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Day, which will come. In my book, we first have to regret what we have done or said, or not done that we should have, that is offensive in God’s eyes, then, after sincere regret, we can repent and sincerely try to change. Rending is probably not necessary.

~ Barbara Mabry

Let us pray

Dear God, help us to repent, honestly and completely. Amen.