Reflect, Repent, Return!

February 23, 2023

Reflect, Repent, Return!

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.  It is a day in the Christian faith, when believers make preparations to draw nearer to our Savior, Jesus.  The day marks the beginning of 40 days of prayer and fasting, worship and service, Bible reading and group study, spiritual conversations and journaling.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a six-week (approximately) season called Lent.  The traditional invitation is to observe a holy Lent.  During the 40 days of Lent, I invite you to draw nearer and nearer and nearer to our Savior Jesus.   

In Joel 2:1 we hear the promise that Jesus will draw near to us when we are ready for Jesus to draw near.  The prophet writes; “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near…”  The promise of Lent is the Lord is coming…now!

The invitation of Lent is for you and me to draw near to the Lord while the Lord is drawing near to you and me.

In Joel 2:12-13 we hear; “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.  Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and bounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.”

Long before Jesus walked the earth, the prophet invited God’s people to draw near to the Lord God.  He invited them to return to the Lord with all their hearts. 

The prophet reminds the people that the Lord God loves us.  More specifically, the prophet tells us the Lord is gracious and merciful as well as slow to anger and hesitant to punish. 

Although we may not feel worthy of Jesus’ love or the Father’s forgiveness, the Word of God reminds us that the Lord loves us and wants nothing more than for you and me to draw nearer and nearer to Him.

I am reminded of an old song written by Fanny Crosby in 1875.  Here is the first verse and refrain from the song, “I Am Thine, O Lord.”

“I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.”

The song reminds us of the words of the prophet Joel. 

“I hear your voice” means I have heard the Word of God.

“And it told Thy love to me” means the Lord God loves me.

“Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord” means my heart desires to be near the Lord. 

I invite you to observe a Holy Lent by preparing your heart, your mind, and your soul to draw nearer and nearer to Jesus our Savior. 

As you draw nearer to the Lord, He will be drawing nearer to you, too.  The closer we are to Jesus, the more our hearts fill with delight in being close to Jesus’ heart.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug

P.S.  Please take a moment to invite a family member or a close friend to join our blog community at douglasdelp.com.