Read the Word:
Joel 2:12-17
Meditate on the Word:
If you have friends from more liturgical traditions, you may see them today with a cross of ash on their forehead. Today is Ash Wednesday, or traditionally, a day for Christians to repent of their sins. It is the beginning of 40 days of Lent, which is a time of repentance and fasting leading up to Resurrection Sunday or Easter. Those who fast typically do so in memory of Christ’s 40 days of fasting and being tempted in the wilderness. While most Baptists do not observe these days, I think that this is as good a time as any to repent and to turn to our Lord.
The Old Testament prophet Joel called people to fast and repent from their sins. He called for genuine sorrow for what the people had done against God. Again, I think that there is no bad time to be sorry for what we have done and to turn to Christ and commit to doing better. We have more reason to do this than even the people of Joel’s time. Our God has relented and left us a blessing in the form of Christ’s death for our sins. Let us be reminded of this throughout the next few weeks as this makes the news of the Resurrection even sweeter.
Pray the Word:
Confess your sins to the Lord and repent in genuine sorrow for them.
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