Do you ever watch the news and wonder if people have lost their ever-loving minds? I do.
When I see violence breaking out after a basketball game, I wonder, What is wrong with people? When I hear about “teen takeovers,” widespread theft, and stores hiring extra security just to keep order, I wonder, What is wrong with people? When I see people devaluing life, treating others with hatred, and abandoning basic decency, I find myself asking the same question.
Sometimes it feels like our world needs a reset.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could simply power down, reboot, and start functioning properly again? Many of us have felt that way. We look around and long for revival, renewal, and a return to what is right.
But Scripture reminds us that cultural change begins with personal change.
If we want revival in our nation, it starts not with them but with me. The prophet Joel ministered during a time of national crisis. Judah had experienced a devastating locust plague that destroyed crops, threatened livelihoods, and exposed deeper spiritual problems. As Joel warned the people about the coming judgment, God interrupted the warning with an invitation:
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart...” (Joel 2:12)
Those first two words are powerful: Even now. Even now, despite the sin. Even now, despite the drift. Even now, despite the consequences. God's heart is always to call His people back to Himself.
The Hebrew word translated “return” is shuv, one of the Old Testament's primary words for repentance. It means to turn around, come back, or return. Notice that God does not say, “Return to religion,” “Return to church attendance,” or “Return to better habits.” He says, “Return to Me.” Why? God's call is relational before it is behavioral.
Joel continues: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” (Joel 2:12) God is not interested in partial devotion. He desires an undivided heart. A divided heart tries to serve God while holding tightly to other loyalties, priorities, or sins. That's why the psalmist prayed: “Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)
Next, Joel also warns against merely going through religious motions: “Rend your heart and not your garments.” (Joel 2:13) In Joel's day, tearing one's clothing was an outward sign of grief and repentance. But God wanted more than a public display. He wanted a genuine heart transformation.
The same danger exists today. We can attend church, listen to podcasts, post Bible verses, and serve on ministry teams while still resisting God's work in our hearts. True repentance is more than feeling sorry. It is turning back to God.
The good news is that repentance is rooted in God's character. Joel reminds us that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” We return because of who He is, not because of who we are.
If our world needs a reset, it begins one heart at a time. Before we point to the problems around us, let's allow God to examine the problems within us. Today, stop running from God and start returning to Him.
When I see violence breaking out after a basketball game, I wonder, What is wrong with people? When I hear about “teen takeovers,” widespread theft, and stores hiring extra security just to keep order, I wonder, What is wrong with people? When I see people devaluing life, treating others with hatred, and abandoning basic decency, I find myself asking the same question.
Sometimes it feels like our world needs a reset.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could simply power down, reboot, and start functioning properly again? Many of us have felt that way. We look around and long for revival, renewal, and a return to what is right.
But Scripture reminds us that cultural change begins with personal change.
If we want revival in our nation, it starts not with them but with me. The prophet Joel ministered during a time of national crisis. Judah had experienced a devastating locust plague that destroyed crops, threatened livelihoods, and exposed deeper spiritual problems. As Joel warned the people about the coming judgment, God interrupted the warning with an invitation:
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart...” (Joel 2:12)
Those first two words are powerful: Even now. Even now, despite the sin. Even now, despite the drift. Even now, despite the consequences. God's heart is always to call His people back to Himself.
The Hebrew word translated “return” is shuv, one of the Old Testament's primary words for repentance. It means to turn around, come back, or return. Notice that God does not say, “Return to religion,” “Return to church attendance,” or “Return to better habits.” He says, “Return to Me.” Why? God's call is relational before it is behavioral.
Joel continues: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” (Joel 2:12) God is not interested in partial devotion. He desires an undivided heart. A divided heart tries to serve God while holding tightly to other loyalties, priorities, or sins. That's why the psalmist prayed: “Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)
Next, Joel also warns against merely going through religious motions: “Rend your heart and not your garments.” (Joel 2:13) In Joel's day, tearing one's clothing was an outward sign of grief and repentance. But God wanted more than a public display. He wanted a genuine heart transformation.
The same danger exists today. We can attend church, listen to podcasts, post Bible verses, and serve on ministry teams while still resisting God's work in our hearts. True repentance is more than feeling sorry. It is turning back to God.
The good news is that repentance is rooted in God's character. Joel reminds us that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” We return because of who He is, not because of who we are.
If our world needs a reset, it begins one heart at a time. Before we point to the problems around us, let's allow God to examine the problems within us. Today, stop running from God and start returning to Him.