And rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. – Joel 2:13
A Gallup poll published in June 2022 revealed that the percentage of Americans who believe in God is declining. The same poll has been taken frequently since 1944, and 98 percent of survey respondents consistently said they believed in God through the early 1980s. By 2022, that number had fallen to 81 percent. In December 2021, Arizona Christian University published an article that said Americans, particularly millennials, have an indifferent attitude toward God, Jesus, and the Bible. At the same time, that survey found that a majority of American young people admit to feelings of anxiety, depression, or fear. Recently, Pew Research said that if the current climatic pattern of indifference continues, “Christians could make up less than half of the U.S. population within a few decades.”
Christian values have historically conflicted with culture but, at present, those values are at odds with the trend of the world’s systems at a level that has not been seen before in America. This nation is in need of a spiritual climate change! As the Lord did with the people of Israel in the time of Joel, the invitation goes forward: “’‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart’” (Joel 2:12). He calls you to an authentic relationship, a change of heart, a transformational spiritual change. God says to repent—turn away from sin—and return—turn toward Him.
C. H. Spurgeon says, “The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble; how then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary.” The warmth of the Savior’s love, compassion, and forgiveness is able to thaw the cold, hardened heart. Pray earnestly for repentance in the United States, that the people recognize their need for salvation in Christ, repent, and turn to embrace the true Source of peace, contentment, and joy found only in Him!
Today’s Verse: Joel 2:13
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Psalm 33:8-22
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
16 The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
