Come Back to Me

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Joel 2:12-14: "Yet even now," declares the LORD, return to me with all you heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster. Who know whether He will not turn and relent, and lead a blessing behind Him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?

I remember a time when I was in college and living at home. My friends and I were going out on a Friday night. Mom and Dad were playing cards with friends of theirs. I announced that I was leaving and my Dad says, "Be home by 11:30." "Really?" I shouted. I hadn't had a curfew that early since my high school days. I was furious. I stomped off in a huff. After a few hours of being with my friends, I said, "I have to get home. Dad put this curfew on me." My friends laughed at me. Yet they got me back home in time. 

God is calling us to return to Him. He is expecting us to come back to Him. Why would we do that? Because He is gracious and merciful. When we return to God, it is because He is a forgiving God. He is the God who saves and redeems broken sinners like us. He is God who leads us to believe and understand that we have consequences for sin. He is reaching out to us to turn around from our sins, repent of them, and ask God to forgive. God is the ONE who loves us so much that He gave Jesus, His only Son, to us to bring life, salvation, and light into our lives. Why wouldn't we turn, confess, repent, and rely on Him. Dear God, lead us to turn from sin and turn to You, Amen.