Title: Repentance, Reward, and Renewal/Topic: Fasting and Prayer

Today’s Reading: Joel 1; Joel 2; Joel 3; 2 Timothy 1

Scripture: Joel 2:12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 26, 27
12 "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.
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.
19 The LORD will reply [a] to them: "I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.
27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

Observation: We often want our society, our churches and ourselves to change but feel helpless to accomplish those changes. Sometimes we even wonder where God is when we see so little transformation taking place. But Joel gives us a plan and progression for transformational change that has the promise of God connected to it. He calls the people of God to a holy fast for the purpose of prayer. There are steps here: 1) Rend your hearts; repent for your own sin and the sins of the church and society. 2) This call to prayer and fasting involves the whole “assembly” or church. It's not an individual effort; everyone participates. 3) People must be willing to give up their normal activities and focus on seeking God's intervention (let the bridegroom leave his chamber,etc.) 4) The Lord promises to answer with abundant provision for what his people need. This promise of change and restoration is based on all the people repenting and seeking God for change.

Application: If the pastor called the church to this kind of prayer and fasting, how many would bre willing to put aside their TV, golf, on-line gaming, or recreational reading time to participate? Do we care enough about our own spiritual growth and condition to do this? Do we care enough about the lost in our community to pray this way? I am convinced we could see miraculous changes if we would commit ourselves to this. But are we willing to? Has recreation and control of our own leisure time become too much of an idol in our lives to move us to action?

Prayer: Father, work in our hearts and reveal to us our lack of passion for you. May your people, who are called by your Name, humble themselves and pray and give up food for a short time to focus on seeking your face for change. I don't want the status quo anymore. I want to see you move in power and bring many to a saving knowledge of grace. I want to see our families whole and restored. Oh move in our hearts so that we will move mountains as we fast and pray together to see your kingdom established here on earth as it is in heaven.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.