Joel 2:13 says, “So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.”
As proclaimed by the Prophet Joel, our God is inviting us to return to Him. But how will we return?
Let’s go back to these Biblical stories. King Ahab tore his garments for causing the death of Nabot (1 Kings 21:27). Meanwhile, King David rent his robes for the murder of Abner (2 Samuel 3:31). Neither of them directly inflicted death but they both believed that they were partly to be blamed. Both of them had respectively rent their garments as an outward expression of their deep grief and abhorrence for their wrong doings. But let’s remember on what Prophet Joel had instead emphasized–that rending of the heart is more important. It is an inward response for a wrong doing–one that involves sincere repentance and not just an outward remorse.
Are you deeply grieving and abhorring for committing sin? Rend your heart to expose even the deeply-seated sins. Repent and return to God for He is gracious and merciful.
