Carol J German

Today is the day for the Lord to intervene in your life. Since tomorrow is not promised, today is the day to let God get involved within your heart, mind and soul. In Joel 2, God gave a message to Joel to help people awaken from the sleepiness that has come upon them.

Let’s see what lessons can be learned from this chapter. When the day of the Lord is upon you, see verse 1, you are to sound the alarm and raise the battle cry. It is time to make some noise within your heart, mind and soul. You must recognize the sins lurking around that are keeping you from abiding with Christ.

Unconfessed sins cause you to be passive in your faith. Your spirit becomes sluggish and apathetic. Your love for Christ wanes and your light dims. If you don’t pay attention, the enemy will convince you that everything is fine with God, and there’s no need for you to change.

When you begin to follow Christ whole-heartedly, you will find that God is casting your dark and gloomy sins behind you. They now lie in desolation. Sin must be reckoned with so you can see that before you is fertile land that is beautiful as the Garden of Eden, see verse 3. God desires to awaken your sleepy soul so you will walk away from the desolation of your flesh, and walk into a new way of living as you abide in Christ.

You must keep moving ahead for you are a part of His army. A soldier of Christ lives like a warrior who marches forward. One is not quiet but rather makes noise for the Kingdom. Soldiers walk united, together on the same mission. They are able to break through the enemy’s defenses without missing a step. They never break rank either. This means that they know their place, their role, and they follow the commanding officer’s orders. Jesus is your Commanding Officer. God’s army is run like a well-oiled machine, see verses 7-9. When God gets involved, no sin is able to lie hidden. See the visual in verse 9 that depicts this.

As God’s army advances, He shakes the earth. Sin must be dealt with for God to be able to take over and redeem His land, His people. There is no other way. If there was, then God would not have needed to send His Son to be The Sacrifice that saves every human being. In verse 11, you learn how God is the head column. How does He lead you and I? How are you to respond?

The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive?¹¹

“That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to Me now, while there is time. Give me your heart. Come with fasting, weeping and mourning.'”¹² When God gets involved, brokenness and repentance must take place before God can reconcile you back to Himself. What is God looking for from you, see verse 13?

It is time, especially in the United States, that believers awaken from their comfortable, American slumber. It’s time to announce a time of fasting, gathering together, and praying for everyone, see verses 15-17. It is time for the people of God to cry out, “Lord, spare your people!”¹⁷

Then, you and I need to trust God. You learn in these scriptures that He is full of promises. One beautiful promise has to do with restoration, see verses 18-27. The Lord’s heart will be softened for His wayward child(ren). Notice how God sends things that will satisfy your needs. He will fill you with eternal things. God defends you as He drives away those who may make fun of you for following His Son.

“Don’t be afraid, my people! Be glad now and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things.”²¹

While it is hard to face your sins, believe and trust God that He will give you green pastures. He will not keep you in the fire with your burned up fleshy ways. He will restore and redeem you back to life. You could say He rebuilds you. Looking at John 3:1-8, you receive a second birth, one that is eternal. So, rejoice in God for His faithfulness. He gives back what once was lost. He restores and redeems you.

“Then you will know that I am among My people, that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other.”²⁷

For restoration to happen, there must be a repentance from your sins. This is a daily process, my friend. God does forgive all your sins when you come to believe in Christ, but then, there is the sanctification process that takes place daily. God will keep revealing areas of weakness within you that need to be reckoned with. When you become aware of a sin, confess it to God and ask for forgiveness. Like the lame man in John 5, or the woman caught in adultery in John 8, Jesus tells them, “Go and sin no more.”

“Then, after I do these things, I will pour out my spirit upon all people.”²⁸ You become eternally alive where God gives you clear vision and greater understanding. Yes, you will have to face the darkness of your sins, but if you call upon the name of the Lord, you will be saved, see verse 32. From that day on, your life takes on a whole new look with eternal meaning. It is so worth letting God get involved in your life.