Rend Your Hearts
“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Joel 2:12-13a
It was a common practice in the Old Testament for the Israelites to show their regret for their sins through outward actions. The cutting, tearing or rending of garments was one way to demonstrate one’s sorrow for violating God’s laws. It was against this backdrop that the prophet Joel invited the people to look deeper. He challenged them to make an inner change, a change of the heart, i.e. rend your hearts and not your garments. They needed—as we do too—to hear and understand that true change must come from within.
A contemporary metaphor may be drawn from the recent storms that have ravaged many homes across the South and up the Eastern seaboard. A new coat of exterior paint will not make the place safe and habitable once again. The homes will have to undergo an inspection and perhaps repairs from the foundation to the roof. Likewise, we must begin our inspection from within the heart.
It is only as we lay bare our hearts and souls before the throne of grace that we can see those things in our life journey that are impediments to our growth and service in the kingdom of God.
Prayer
Dear Lord, help me this day, by the power of your Holy Spirit, to search my heart for those things that you would have me give up, or change, or cast off that I might be a better instrument of your love and grace to all those around me, in Jesus name. Amen.
