Joel: A Day of Mourning ~ A Season of Outpouring Reading the Old Testament Prophets (Jeremiah-Malachi) 09

God uses natural disasters to get our attention! Joel 1:4 What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. Joel 1:15-16 15 Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. 16 Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes—joy and gladness from the house of our God?

God uses calamities to call us to repent! 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.

Confession does for the soul what preparing the land does for the field. Before the farmer sows the seed, he works the acreage, removing the rocks and pulling the stumps. He knows that seed grows better if the land is prepared. Confession is the act of inviting God to walk the acreage of our hearts. “There is a rock of greed over here, Father; I can’t budge it. And that tree of guilt near the fence? Its roots are long and deep. And may I show you some dry soil, too crusty for seed?” God’s seed grows better if the soil of the heart is cleared. ~ Max Lucado

God calls us to a Day of Mourning! Joel 2:15-16 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.

Then, God restores what you lost! Joel 2:25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.

Afterward, God brings a season of outpouring! Joel 2:28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Acts 2:16-17, 33 16 This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. . . . 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”

In the last days, God will defeat evil, and he will be our refuge! Joel 3:16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Look to Jesus our refuge – the Lamb who took our sin away and the Lion who roars in victory!

Look to Jesus our refuge – the Lamb who took our sin away and the Lion who roars in victory!

Look to Jesus our refuge – the Lamb who took our sin away and the Lion who roars in victory!

A Day of Mourning Father God, we all come and confess that we need your cleansing. We repent of all our sins, and we ask you to forgive us for Jesus’ sake. Do not hold against us the sins of our past or present. May your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need (Psalm 79:8). Spare us, Lord Jesus, whom you have redeemed with your precious blood. 1

2 For things we did but should not have done – Lord, forgive us. For things we should have done but didn’t – Lord, forgive us. For decisions made that caused pain – Lord, forgive us. For words said that hurt or wounded – Lord, forgive us. For things neglected that resulted in loss – Lord, forgive us. For pride, lack of prayer, demanding our own way, resisting leadership – Lord, forgive us. For mistreating former pastors and congregations – Lord, forgive us. For undermining the unity of the Spirit – Lord, forgive us. 2

Today we freely forgive and release all those who have hurt or offended us. And we ask that you heal all those whom we have hurt or offended. God, you know how we are formed, and you remember that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). You remember that we are but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return (Psalm 78:39). When we consider our sins, we feel like the psalmist, “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Yet because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we also add with the psalmist, “But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you” (Psalm 130:4). 3

Today we receive by faith the forgiveness and cleansing you have promised through Jesus’ death on the cross. We praise you that you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love (Nehemiah 9:17; Joel 2:13). Today we put the past to rest. We repent of our sins, confess our faults, aiming not to do these again, and claiming your total forgiveness. We’re working our way through any and all hurts and pains that we have caused upon others, and laying hold of your amazing grace. Tomorrow is a new day, and we want to start fresh, clean, holy, right, with a clear conscience before you and before others. 4

You do here and now forgive all our iniquities and cover all our sins You do here and now forgive all our iniquities and cover all our sins. You set aside all your wrath and turn from your fierce anger (Psalm 85:1-3). Show us your favor. Restore what we have lost (Joel 2:25). Not that we have it all together, or have already arrived at our goal, but we press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us. One thing we do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14). 5

How blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, whose sins the Lord will never count against them! (Romans 4:7-8). Lord God, would you strengthen us to stand strong, comfort and help us where we are weak, raise us up where we have fallen, and beat down Satan under our feet. Endue us with the grace and power of your Holy Spirit to change our lives according to your Word. Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us! Amen. 6