ALL I NEED IS LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
Joel 2:13 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.
After hearing this I would have thought that the Jews would have been quick to repent of their idol worship and seek God’s mercy and grace, but sad to say their hearts would not let them betray what was really in them. This was a rebellious hard heartedness toward the Lord. What had the Lord done to deserve this act of their betrayal? The Lord had done nothing wrong! The Lord was faithful to his covenant with them, it was the Jews that broke covenant with God.
They were willing to go through the motions of worshiping the Lord especially when they heard that Babylon was headed their way to conquer them. They would be happy to rend their garments in a sign of sadness, but it was not a sadness or regret of turning from the Lord. It was for themselves. If they could have avoided the Babylonian attack they would have gladly tore all their garments, but it would not have changed what was in their heart. Their carnal nature held tight to the demand that they needed to worship whom they wanted the way they wanted. They were unwilling to get off their throne, and let God take his rightful place there.
Things really haven’t changed much with them or really most people. The Jews are still rending their garments instead of their hearts. When there is an attack on Israel the Jews will tear their clothes apart, and weep beating their heart. They refuse to deal with the cause and curse the effect it brings on them. It is if they curse their finger for hurting, but keep hitting it with a hammer. They cursed themselves by rejecting God’s only begotten Son as their Lord and Savior, and harden their hearts towards the thought of turning to him with a true repentance and broken heart. Israel will never have peace as long as they refuse to humble themselves before God and seek forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus. They can go through all the formalities of Judaism. They can even get their temple back and offer thousands of sacrifices to the Lord, but that isn’t what he wants. Until they stop being Israel (struggles with God) and becomes the humble prodigal son that is quick to repent and do their Father’s will they will never find peace in their Father’s house and heart.
The same is true with the world and even some in the church. They insist on being their own god. Oh, they are quick to say they will do things for God if God will only remove his hand of punishment, but their heart hasn’t really changed. There is no real returning to the Lord, because they were never surrendered to him to begin with. Their remorse was not over how their sin had hurt God, but rather how they didn’t want God to hurt them! We see this in the desire to avoid hell, yet are reluctant about the being with Jesus for all eternity. They see heaven as a storehouse of give me more and more and more! Their passion is not for Jesus, it is still for self.
What is the first thing you want to see or do when you get to heaven? Will it be to quiz Jesus why he let you down so many times? Will it be to dive into the piles of gold and riches that may abound there? Will it be to sing in the heavenly choir or go to some other planet to evangelize or the like. Will it be to get your crown and other rewards that may be waiting for you? Well, what about Jesus? He is our groom and we are his Bride. How would you feel after your wedding your bride decided to go shopping at the mall or run off to be with her friends?
Until our heart becomes right with Jesus, we are simply using him and not loving him. If we really want to bless Jesus it won’t be thorough good works or self-denial. What really impresses Jesus is the same thing that the bride does to impress her groom and that is to love him with all her heart.
It is not really that hard to do. It all begins thinking about him, rather than ourself or others. When Jesus becomes the most important being in our life all of a sudden our perspective of him begins to change. We have a real heart transformation. We are changed from the inside out.
Are you trying to get God’s attention by starving yourself, denying yourself of the things your want so much and sacrificing what you do have? If you really want God’s attention try loving his Son with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. That will get his attention and keep it on you. You may think, how can such a little thing as love move God so much? The same way his love for us through his Son extending his arms on Calvary's cross can move us so much!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, please forgive us for getting it so wrong so much of the time. Now we know that it is not what we can do for you or sacrifice for you, it is all about what you did for us when you sacrificed yourself for us! We love you Jesus!
