Scripture Text: Joel 1:1-7
Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.
Joel 1:5
Some counselors utilize a concept called “tough love”—a love that is strong enough to be tough when needed. Parents show tough love to a child when they refuse to give in to a temper tantrum. Tough love is strong enough to reprove one who needs correction, and it is willing to allow others to suffer the consequences of their foolish actions in the hope that they will learn from their experiences.
God often expresses tough love in the form of divine discipline. Jesus told the church of Laodicea, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent”.
The Hebrew word most often translated as repentance is “teshuva”. The root word is shuv, which means “turning back.” We find this word first used in Genesis 3:19 which properly sets the tone for this word as something that is the return back to its original state.
The original state of man was declared by our Creator to be “good”.
After Adam and Even turned away by disobeying YHWH’s instructions, YHWH’s goal for all of mankind is repentance, or to turn back to Him.
In the same manner, the Greek word for repentance is from the verb repent = metanoeo; the noun repentance = metanoia, which means to "change one's mind, attitude and purpose," and carries in its root the sense of pain, so repenting from sins doesn't simply mean an academic change of mind, but a heartfelt transformation of one's mind, attitude and purpose away from sins, which if genuine, will lead to the transformation of one's actions away from sins.
…and this was God’s message to His people through the prophet Joel.
We do not know when the Book of Joel was written. The lack of any reference to Judah’s king has prompted some scholars to suggest that it was written during the time when Joash, the boy king, ruled Judah (835-739 B.C., see 2 Kings 11–12). Other scholars think that the book was written some time after the Babylonian exile. All that is known of the book’s author is that his name was Joel and that he was the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1).
Reflect
Can you think of the events in your life that God has used to get your attention?
Remember
Perhaps God has used the consequences of your own actions to help you see the folly of making sinful choices. Or He may have used circumstances that are beyond your control to show you your need for His power and grace. Such experiences are not for your benefit alone.
Like the tough love experienced by those in Joel’s day, these lessons can benefit others. Ask some trusted friends to share some things God has used to get their attention and the lessons they learned as a result. Share your story and thank God together for His tough love.
Read
Genesis 1:31, 3:19; Acts 26:20; Romans 8:5-9; Revelation 3:14-19
Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You for leading me back to You and continuously do so, Your ever presence that corrects and shows me my foolish ways. I thank You for the discipline that is also Your way of showing love towards me, all because You desire for me to be good as what You have designed to be. Always teach me to be sensitive and discerning to Your will. This I pray in Your Son’s Name and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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