Who has dealt wondrously with you (Joel 2:26)

In every circumstance, let this truth sink in, that the Lord your God has dealt wondrously with you. In both good and bad God has dealt wondrously with you. There is none like Him, nothing else can truly satisfy the cravings and desires of your heart. He is always near to you, even at your most wicked and sinful moments He is as close to you as when you pursue Him wholeheartedly. Our knowledge of the fact that He has dealt wondrously with us not be built on anything external, but on the fact that our sins are paid for and we are treated on the basis of mercy and not what we deserve.

Never forget the fact that you are a sinner. You were born with a sin nature, all mankind, because of Adam’s sin, has been conceived in sin. From day one you owed a debt to Him who sits on High. Yet He came down from high and assumed the lowly position of a servant and took on death on a cross in our place. God became man to pay the wages of sin that man could never pay on his own.

He has had mercy on us according to His kindness, it was nothing in us that merited it. The only proper response is that of praise. Daily to let our heart overflow with praise for what He has done. To continually let our lips sing of His mercy that gives us life and all blessings. By His grace we are called to make our lives acts of worship to His glorious character. Once we see how wondrously God has loved us, our life mission should be to do wonderful things for His kingdom.

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; (Joel 2:28)

God knows us perfectly well and there is nothing about us that escapes His knowledge. The one thing that God can say about every person is that there is none who does good, no one on their own seeks Him. He knows that our hearts are desperately wicked, from the days of our youth we have walked in sin. Our own we are helpless to do good. If God’s common grace was not functioning in believer and non-believer alike then we would all be as evil as Adolph Hitler.

God knows my inability to please Him or do any good, so He took the initiative to pursue me. Not because of good works I’ve done or good works that He foresaw me doing if I had the ability to do, but because of His grace and mercy He saved me. Before I was born, He chose me to be a vessel of mercy. Prior to time existing God placed His grace on my life so that I would one day walk with Him. This is not on the basis of anything I have done, but according to the good pleasure of His will.

Once we’ve been reconciled to God, our spirit’s desire to live to the praise of God’s glory, but yet our flesh is so weak. God knows the weakness of our flesh and has given us His Spirit as our helper. With the Holy Spirit poured out over our lives we are more apt to the conviction of sin. The Spirit leads us in truth and allows us to know the truth of God’s Word, without Him, we are deaf to what God wants to speak to us. The Spirit testify always of Christ, so that we can seek to always live like Christ. Even as adopted children of God we are unable to glorify the Father with our own strength, that is why we must seek more of the Spirit poured out into hearts.

Tell Your Children About it (Joel 1:4)

Locust, devastation and destruction; these are the things that Joel wants you to tell your children about. Joel’s reasoning is that these things point to God. In the locust we see God’s sovereignty and how all things are brought about because of His rule over this earth. The devastation is the fruit of the locust. This was a time of suffering, great mourning and wailing came across the land as everyone’s life was affected by the locust. This devastation pointed to the destruction that would come in God’s judgment. Although this was not a joyful period, God intended it for good, as it led many to repentance.

When trouble comes our attitude should never be that of questioning of God. God is not like man, He has no obligation to us and rules the universe perfectly according to His holy and majestic ways. His wisdom is far above our comprehension. His plan is eternal and never fails, so when disaster strikes and life does not go according to our plan, our posture should still be that of worship because we generally have more happiness then despair. Not only that, but suffering is a means to see God’s patience. God not wanting any to face eternal suffering will bring about suffering in this life to lead some to repentance.

Let us be faithful to account to all future generations the gospel. The good news of our wretched state that is deserving of devastation and destruction. The good news that we were once a people who were devoid of joy and happiness, but thanks to Christ defeat of death, we can share in His resurrection and have a live a life that bears the fruit of love, peace and joy. The good news that a holy God whose wrath is just and right is forbearing and gracious with His children that deserve condemnation.

For The Day of the Lord is great and very terrible, who can endure it? (Joel 2:10)

The greatest problem of fallen mankind is that of how to endure God's judgment. In the sight of a holy God none can stand. Only the Begotten One can intimately know the most high. Instead of claiming this right, He laid aside all to face God's judgment in our place. A pure unspotted sacrifice was required to satisfy God's wrath.

The day of the Lord is one of dread for those who don't know Him. We are called to live in light of that day and never take advantage of the present day. The believer with the day of the Lord on His mind always has the lost on His heart. No one knows the day of the Lord, so let today be a day that your desire for the lost to know God's grace is greater then yesterday. May each day see your prayers for the lost increase in fervor.

On that day, every knee on earth. above the earth and below the earth will bow to Jesus the Lord. How great it will be if your friends and family bow to the King of kings out of awe to His grace instead of fear of His wrath. They will either sing of His mercy or in eternal torment cry for mercy. Before that day what will you do today to point them to the Lord your God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.