Rend Your Heart
Scripture
An Army of Locusts
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
2 a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
nor ever will be in ages to come. (Joel 2:1-2)
Rend Your Heart
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.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the Lord your God.
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.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’” (Joel 2:12-17)
Reflection
If you were given news that the president of the United States of America was arriving at your house in an hour, how would you prepare? You might rearrange some furniture, clean up, and dress your very best to present yourself before the president.
Our culture today is greatly concerned about outward appearances. The teachers and followers of the law in the Old Testament were no different. In Bible times, people would rend or tear their garments if they were mourning the loss of a loved one; the tearing of garments was a sign that they were mourning. Teachers of the law would disfigure their faces and refrain from washing their faces when they were fasting; this was a sign to others they were fasting. However, Joel 2:12 gives us a challenge greater than considering outward appearances: “Rend your heart and not your garments.” This passage addresses the importance of a broken and contrite heart, rather than rending garments and showing others evidence of repentance or fasting.
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus told the disciples and the crowds, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
In past seasons of Lent, I’ve had conversations with my friends and fellow believers in Christ that went something like this: “What are you giving up for Lent? Wow, that’s a great idea. I’m giving up this…” But as we reflect upon the words of Jesus in Matthew 6, Jesus calls us to adjust our focus. Joel 2 challenges us to a greater goal and a higher focus to rend not our garments, but our hearts, returning to the Lord our God.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for your love for us and for your heart of compassion toward us. As we journey into this season of Lent, may we rend our hearts and not our garments. Thank you that you will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Help us to never lose our focus, and please give us willing hearts to return to you, our Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
2024 Lenten Journey
Adrian Brown