Thoughts for another day

June 10, 2014.

Today's verse:  Joel 2:12-13. Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend 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. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

There’re times when I sit before the Lord and ponder on the sins I commit.  It’s a dreadful picture that comes before me, for I know my sins and your sins and the sins of the world are so many and so thick, they’d cloud the very sight of the heavens if we could see with spiritual eyes the stairway to heaven.  And more than that, I’m concerned the Lord is not pleased with our sins which has set up His burning wrath before us to burn the nations of the world; that would include you and me.

But thank God for our Word today, I know there’s a way out before Him for He asks us to turn to Him with all our hearts with fasting, weeping and mourning.  I stress on mourning for really, when I realise I’ve offended God, then I mourn and Jesus said, ‘Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted’ Mt. 5:4.  God’s comfort, when we repent of our sins and our doing Him harm, in the heart of course, is wonderful for He sets healing the very pores of our hearts by which our love can flow seamlessly all across healing us and those who we meet and interact with.

Our Word further exhorts us to rend our hearts and turn unto the LORD God; for true repentance comes not by tearing our clothes or by any outward sign of remorse for God looks straight into our hearts and until He sees a broken and contrite heart, His forgiveness is constrained from flowing.  Most importantly, I realise what a wonderful God we serve – He is angry but not for long; He is strict but does not harm us; He punishes, but is not vindictive.  Yea, He is merciful and very slow to anger. When we approach Him on bended knees, He is of great kindness to us and He regrets the evil He had planned and turns it away.  I’m glad I serve Him, the God of Jacob, for only in Him do I find the water of life and reason to hope.