Rend the Heart, Not Your Garment

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

These verses emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance, not just outward displays of mourning, by urging people to "rend your hearts and not your garments".

This involves turning to God with fasting, weeping, and mourning, acknowledging God's gracious, merciful, and loving nature, and recognizing His willingness to relent from judgment when people truly turn back to Him.

The Holy just God of the universe whom we have sinned against is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and He is abounding, He’s like full of, like overflowing with steadfast love. And He relents over disaster.

Meaning He doesn’t pour out the judgment and the wrath we deserve when we do what these verses say, when we return to Him with all our hearts, with fasting, with weeping with mourning, when we rend our hearts, not our garments.

God is much more concerned about our hearts genuinely loving Him and longing to be in an intentional intimate relationship with Him than He is about any external things. The Old Covenant prophets emphasized that God's people often lost their hearts to what was false and only gave lip service to God in their rituals. 

Jesus also emphasized that God wants us to love Him and serve Him from our hearts and not just by going through religious motions. It is a beautiful demonstration that the goodness, grace, and mercy of our long-suffering God, remains open to all who will simply trust in His Word, remember His goodness, genuinely return to Him with heart and soul - and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.

It shows that fasting, with weeping and morning, is often associated with true repentance of heart. And although in this Church dispensation, there is no written covenant, set rules, or legalistic regulations which are required of Church-age believers, it is important and wise to take note of things that outwardly demonstrate an inward change of heart.

God delights in substance not mere symbolism. Beware of shows of religion or repentance or anger or sadness, that do not result in heart level turning to God.

Beware of externally anger and sadness, that neglect our own sin. Symbols are powerful things…flags and logos and mascots and marches. God likes symbols…feasts, special days, baptism, circumcision…he thought that stuff up.

But God has no interest in symbolism without substance, the symbols exist to help us change in substance…real ways. A rended heart shows up in actual acts of love for God and others!!!

Father, thank You for this day and the breath of Your Word which bears witness of Your goodness and grace to all who will trust in it. Lord pour out Your abundant blessings from the windows of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord teach us the lessons that You would have us learn from Israel’s history, and keep us from making the same mistakes. Lord help us to make our outward lives a demonstration of a changed inner lives which trusts You implicitly, in thought, word, deed, and motive. Lord use my friend to be someone’s blessing today!!!

Father, we love You. Amen !