Day 1:
This week in Return to Me: A Pause for Lent, our scripture for reflection comes from Joel 2:12-13. So far, we have looked at God’s invitation, and individual’s experiences with repentance. Today, our passage also includes a call for corporate repentance. Each day this week, we’ll build on this passage, but for now, simply read the passage and reflect on it. If you like, read it in more than one translation and see if anything sticks out to you.
Joel 2:12-13 (CSB)
“Even now — this is the Lord’s declaration — turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.”
Day 2:
Re-read Joel 2:12-13.
Joel was living through a time when Israel was experiencing the consequences of their sin and breaking their covenant with God. He’s also telling Israel about a future Day of the Lord where God’s judgement will be poured out on the land. But right in the middle of this book, he offers hope. He calls on Israel to repent—to return to the Lord, and in doing so they may receive God’s mercy from the impending judgement. With his own repentance, Joel invites Israel into a corporate repentance. They, as a nation, rejected God and his purposes for them. They had chosen to serve other gods and allow injustices to flourish in their land. For this, the whole people needed to repent, not just a few individuals. And this repentance needed to be genuine, not just an outward act, but a returning to God with all their hearts.
We, too, have turned to other gods—our phones, our jobs, influential people, our tribes, our own liberty, etc.—and have allowed injustice to flourish. As God’s people, we are to be a light to the world, we are to be his hands and feet, and we are to be united (though not uniform). We need to rend our hearts, confess and grieve the ways we, as a body, have fallen short, and return to God and his ways. God’s character has remained the same from before the beginning.
He is gracious and compassionate towards us. He is slow to anger and overflowing with faithfulness and love. We are so blessed to be able to come to him, confess our sins to him, and receive his mercy and forgiveness. Christ’s sacrifice has allowed us to approach God’s throne, and even more amazingly, opened a way for God’s Spirit to reside in us. Though we deserve his judgement, we’ve been given so much more than his grace.
Day 3:
Re-read Joel 2:12-13.
There are great benefits to hand copying scripture. It increases your focus on the words and aids in memorization. Today, pick a verse from Joel 2:12-13 (or both) to copy down in your own hand or to memorize. If neither of those fit with your personality, draw a picture that comes to mind while reading it or read the passage over multiple times, maybe in a different translation. The idea is to pause over the Word and let it sink in.
Day 4:
Re-read Joel 2:12-13.
Today in our Pause, we invite you to pray over the passage. Think through the scripture itself, what you may have learned from Day 2, or what has come to mind in your own personal study and pray it out. If you need some help, we’ve provided a prayer below.
Most holy God,
We have sinned. Though we have been called to be your people, your body, we have turned to other things to try to satisfy us. We have allowed our dreams and desires to turn us away from you and your ways. May we, as a people, return to you, Lord. Out of your grace and compassion forgive us from our sin. Thank you for the abundance of your steadfast love toward us. Draw us to you and lead us in your ways forever.
May all your people say “Amen.”
Day 5:
Re-read Joel 2:12-13.
Reflect and Apply:
As a culture that values individuality, it may be difficult for us to see ourselves wholly as one unit, but the Bible clearly states that we belong to each other when we belong to God. Think about your relationship with others in the body of Christ. Are you building up or tearing down?
What corporate sins do you see in the church? Take time to confess them and intercede for us.
Brainstorm a few ideas of how you can “stir up one another to love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24)
Based on this week’s passage, take some time to think through an application that you can begin to carry out moving forward. (Though we’re focusing on Joel 2:12-13, I would encourage you to read through all of Joel if you have time.)
Please come back Monday morning for the post on Week 6.