Joel Chapters 1-3

Read this and you have read a book of the Bible today...nice work!

2:13 - I love this verse!!! This is a picture of the heart of God...He is the God of second chances...if we are willing to return to Him and throw ourselves on His mercy He will relent from the destruction we deserve and He offers us grace instead. Thank you God.

2:25 - Even though we will face the consequences of our sinful actions and poor choices (Most likely we have all figured that out by now), God's awesome forgiveness offers hope and the possibility of redemption in the future. All is not lost! Return to God. No matter what you have done...your relationship...your hope...your soul...can be restored by the power of God's love.

2:28 - Thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we see lived out in the Gospels - a perfect sacrifice that was made "once for ALL" - the Holy Spirit of God has been poured out on ALL of humanity. God is working in this world and working in our lives...shaping us...are you listening?

2:32 - For me this has echoes of Romans 10:9 which says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead - you will be saved." ALL who call on the Lord will be saved...again we see God's heart for all the people of the world, not just the Israelites. The Lord is calling to us...calling us to life...calling us to perfect community...calling us to hope...are you willing to see how inadequate you are to save yourself and cry out to Him?

3:16 - This reminds me of an incredible picture painted by C.S. Lewis in the "Magicians Nephew." It is the picture of the lion Aslan (Jesus/God), roaring out a song of love...a song of creation...a song of power...that brings the newly created world into being. Everything around Aslan reverberates with the perfect majesty and power of His voice. God voice roars out and the world trembles beneath His perfection and power. The Word (The Roar) became flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son, so that whoever believes in Him will not parish by have everlasting life." This event shook the very foundations of human history and brought hope.

3:21 - Never forget that God is justice...and justice will be met out. Vengeance is for God...not for us. We must always trust int he way that God works out His plan and the path through which He will bring justice.