The Abounding Grace and Mercy Of Our God

December 4

Joel 2:12-3:21

Psalm 136:13-26

Proverbs 28:27-28

2 John 1

The Abounding Grace And Mercy Of Our God

“’Yet even now,’ declares Yahweh, ‘Return to Me with all your heart and with fasting, weeping, and wailing;  and tear your heart and not your garments.’  Now return to Yahweh your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting concerning evil.  Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, even a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh your God?”  Joel 2:12-14 LSB

Israel had repeatedly turned away from God.  They had worshipped other gods and had rejected the one true God.  Many prophets had come and gone giving them warning after warning and yet, again God was imploring them through the prophet Joel to repent and turn back to Him.  He loved them and wanted to restore His relationship with them.  A common practice in Biblical times was tearing your clothes as an outward demonstration of repentance and sorrow for sin.  When they returned to God after a season of sinful rebellion they would present sin offerings, tear their clothes and walk around in the rags with ashes on their head as a visible reminder of their sin.  In verse 13 we see that God did not want them to tear their clothes as an outward sign of repentance when there was no true repentance in their hearts.  He was telling them that what He wanted from them was broken hearts and true remorse over their sin.  He wasn’t interested in them making a spectacle of themselves in front of others.  He could see their hearts and He knew when true change had occurred.  God wanted their love and their obedience far more than the sacrifices, fasting, weeping and wailing. 

God wants the same from us.  He wants us to obey Him out of love and gratitude.  He does not want us to perform mindless rituals that are done for outward appearances.  “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6  ESV  With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?  Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:6-8 ESV   “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”  I Samuel 15:22 ESV  The abounding mercy and grace we experience because of His lovingkindness motivates us to want to please Him.  When we recognize all He has done for us, we experience an inner transformation resulting in a desire for purity and holiness.  God always responds to true repentance and welcomes us back just as He did for Israel.