Return to Me

Joel 2:12-13
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.
 
 
“Return to Me”

In the beginning of scripture, we see God walking in the Garden, calling out for Adam, Adam “Where are thou?” (Genesis 3:8). God’s repeated solicitation to people throughout human history has been, “Return to Me!”
 
Zechariah 1:3
“Return to me, declares the Lord Almighty.”
Joel 2:12
“Return to me with all your heart”.
 
How do we return to God with all our hearts?
 
I. This verse reminds us to REPENT.
 
 
When we fall short of the glory of God, we should to return to God in repentance. When we return to the Lord, our God, the whole picture here in the book of Joel, is God saying to His people, “Return to me, turn from your sin, turn from your idolatry and immorality and trust in me. Return to me with all your heart.” The whole picture here with fasting, with weeping with mourning, just a contrition, a humility before God, in light of sin, and a rending of your heart. It’s a laying bare of your heart before God and asking God to renew you and change you and restore you.

II. Reminds Us that God Delights In Restoring Us.

God delights in renewing, changing, restoring, redeeming, saving, transforming. This is in one sense a picture of salvation. It’s like we experience forgiveness from God the moment we turn from our sin and ourselves and replace our trust in Jesus as Savior, the head of our lives.

It’s a daily turning from sin. It’s the tendency we have to go back to that which we have been saved. And so, we are continually returning to Him.

It’s like thinking of my daughter when she does something wrong and she realizes it, and she comes to me in tears. And it becomes a teachable and beautiful moment. I would rather it would not get to these kinds of moments. I know you thought I was talking about my daughter and me, but I was talking about you and God, When there is sin, to turn with weeping and with mourning to God, and know that He’s slow to anger and overflowing in steadfast love, that’s the type of God we serve! He’s gracious and he’s merciful.

III. Reminds us to Return by Replenishing.

Replenishing in Hebrew means to Maximize. To return to God means to turn from our wicked ways and be devoted to Him but we can’t be devoted half hazard we must Maximize our Devotion to follow His covenant law. It is a turning away from the path of sin and self-reliance and a subsequent return to a place of restored fellowship and peace with God, and therefore a restoration practicing loving one’s neighbor. That is why the LORD asked His covenant people to return to Him with all he wants MAXIMUM Effort with our hearts.
declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.

Joel 2:12
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
 
Let’s RETURN to God BY REPENTING, ALLOW GOD TO RESTORE US, AND BY REPLENISHING TO GOD.