Searching
We began lent this last Wednesday. If you didn’t make it out because of the ice that’s understandable. I want to dwell a little more on our reading. From Joel Chapter 2 we read:
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
The Lord’s Answer
18 Then the Lord was jealous for his land
and took pity on his people.
19 The Lord replied[a] to them:
“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,
enough to satisfy you fully;
never again will I make you
an object of scorn to the nations.
On Wednesday we focused on the “EVEN NOW”. God knows you, He knows who you are, what you have done, and call out to you anyway. Today I want to focus on the line at the other end of the reading. “Where is their God?”
We look around the world; we see war, famine, pestilence, and we all do our best to avoid death.
“Where is their God?”
We look at our bank accounts, our struggling families, an empty pantry, a broken relationship, a bad medical condition…
“Where is my God?”
I find it interesting, and perhaps ironic. Why? Because the first question God asks in Scripture is the very same question. From Genesis 3 starting at verse 7
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
We so often ask God where He is at, that we forget that in our sin, God’s first act was to come seeking, and to offer an opportunity for confession, to provide an animal for atonement and to cover their sins (verse 21). God continues to look for His people. And when He gets their attention he goes back to the beginning…. Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart…”
God is looking for your heart.
Are you looking for God?
He has made you a promise;
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8 ESV
And
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. – Jeremiah 29:12-14
So, where are you looking for God? I know where you can find Him.
He will see you Sunday or Wednesday. See you in Bible Study. See you in Devotional time and prayer. See you at the Communion table.
God bless,
-Pastor Dan