I Will
Restore What the Locusts Have Eaten
Part Two -
Joel 2:18-27
Further, there are those
persons for whom the quest for love repeatedly terminated in disappointing and
hurtful relationships. Quite possibly,
you may have invested years into relations with people hoping to achieve the
ultimate experience of God’s unconditional love as evidenced in time, trust and
feelings with people. The failure of
these interactions hurt so deeply because time is something that we can never
replace not repay. What an incredible
waste of emotions, money, time and energy!
In response, one may be afraid of other relationships. Should regret and depression solidify in one’
heart and mind, one may often think about the invaluable lost of one’s time and
self in those relationships. On a good
day, one would want that time back.
Nevertheless, this scenario happens in business and one’s attempt to
succeed in a given profession. Failed
businesses, bankruptcies, termination and false starts are as hurtful as broken
engagements, divorces and relation breakups.
Then, you can always take the wrong side at a fork in the road. Perhaps, you invest years in a given job,
project, specialty, or pursuit to discover that it is not as fulfilling as you
originally imagined. You may obtain a
certain level of expertise and a favorable reputation with it. Yet, if you are not happy, joyous and free,
you cannot resist the feeling that you are wasting your time and your abilities
as life passes by. In direct response to
this dilemma, Joel offers one of the most encouraging prophecies found in the
Bible. He affirms that God will restore
the wasted years!
The great British preacher
and revivalist, Charles Spurgeon, spoke of the mystery of God’s handiwork while
discoursing upon this text. He
succinctly describes the essence of Joel’s encouraging words to the
people. The locusts did not consume any
time; they devour the fruit of years of hard work and toiling. But, God “has a strange and wonderful way in
[He] can give back to you the wasted blessings.” Almighty God supernaturally and majestically
restores “the unripened fruit of years of over which you mourned. The fruit of wasted years may yet be yours.”
However, God calls us into
a process of discernment, personal development and spiritual growth as a
prerequisite for His grand purposes of restoration. It begins with public and private repentance
and fasting. Practically speaking,
repentance means to turn around and go in the opposite direction. Sin, rebellion and disobedience, all, lead to
a dead end road which forces one to make a u-turn. Likewise, years of unrewarding rewarding
investments of time and abilities necessitates a comprehensive analysis of
one’s goals and purposes. A new way of
thinking and being becomes necessary. The
old paradigm no longer works. A fresh
outlook reveals previously unseen vistas of possibilities for a productive use
of one’s time and talents. Nonetheless,
the humility and willingness to re-evaluate one’s choices and action is the
first and non-negotiable step to discovering these latent possibilities for a
more fulfilling and rewarding life.
This repentance motivates
God to take pity on the people.
Accompanied by a righteous act of fasting, this decision to return to
the Lord leads to His relenting of sending judgment upon the people. The prophet tells them to rend their hearts
instead of their clothing. The usual
customs led people to tear their outer garments as a demonstration of their
sorrow and horror in the face of calamity.
This outward display of religious piety proved utterly meaningless to
Joel, if it were not matched with an internal and genuine desire to
change. Thus, the combination of the
sincere repentance and authentic fasting yield the Lord’s gracious bestowal of
grain, new wine and oil. Furthermore, He
promises that the people will never again be the objects of scorn or the
victims of such treacherous judgment.
No comments:
Post a Comment