Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
“As the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness’” (Hebrews 3:7-8).
“Let us hold fast our confession [of faith]” (Hebrews 4:14).
Holding fast to our faith is crucial because the sin that hardens most is unbelief. Israel hardened their hearts “in the rebellion . . . in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8). This happened during Israel’s time of testing, when fiery trials had come upon them. During that difficult time, God’s promises seemed to fail them. And when it seemed the Lord was no longer answering their cries, they became peeved at Him.
Something similar has happened to many Christians in this generation. I have talked to believers who were at one time zealous but now have hardened hearts. These are people who once walked faithfully with the Lord. They believed His Word, based their lives on biblical truth, and were totally on fire for Jesus. Then a crisis came. They cried out to God in their time of desperate need, but their prayers were not answered on their time schedule. In anger they accused God, “You have failed me!” Today these people do not want to hear a word I say.
Others have been led away by associations with ungodly friends. God’s grace is still available to them, His mercy extended, but over time the pleasures of sin have hardened them.
God help us in these uncertain days to “take heed” lest any of us become hardened in heart in the day of our trial! You may think you could never harden your heart. But difficult times and trials are guaranteed to come to all who follow Jesus; no one is exempt. Therefore, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7).
Now is the time to get right with God because the present generation has lost their fear of Him.