Dress yourselves with sackcloth and weep, you priests. Wail, you who serve at the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for there is no grain or wine to offer at the temple. Announce a fast and call a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land to the temple of the LORD your God and cry out to Him there. The day of the Lord is near and destruction will come from the Almighty. How terrible! Joel 1: 13 – 15
Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem! Raise the alarm on My holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is near. Joel 2: 1
That is why the LORD says, “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in grief but tear your hearts instead.” Turn to the LORD your God who is gracious and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps He will send a blessing and not a curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the LORD like before. Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem. Announce a fast and call a solemn meeting for the people. Bring the leaders, the children and the babies. Bring the bridegroom and the bride out of their chambers. Let the priests of the Lord weep outside the altar and pray, “Spare Your people, LORD! Don’t let us, your special possession, become an object of mockery or a joke for unbelieving foreigners.” Joel 2: 12 – 17
The book of Joel, although short, communicates an important message to the Jews 400 years before Christ. The day of the judgment of the LORD is coming. But it is not too late to repent!
The fast that is called for by the prophet Joel includes the idea of mourning with sackcloth and ashes, as in other Old Testament books, but with a new twist! Let’s get everyone together, leaders, people, children, babies, the newly married, to fast, mourn and pray. And let’s fast with a true heart that is torn in grief over our sin.
So here is an example to encourage a small group, community team or church to fast together.
This fall I will be going to Vienna, Austria to work with Syrian refugees, for a month. I will be living with a woman who also volunteers there, so I won’t be alone. But I know that I will need to gather together a team of people to fast and pray for this endeavor. God has led me to “Announce a fast!” for those who are on my prayer and support team for the day before I leave (September 1). If you would like more information about this, please contact me through the blog.
What group or team of people in your life has a common concern about which you could call a fast and prayer time for support?
Almighty God, You want to hear from me. You want to hear that my heart is all Yours. I need You to answer the prayer and concern that my team is taking time to fast together for. We do this because You are all powerful and our God of love. We look forward to Your answer and Your support. Amen.
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