Joel 1-3 Truth, a Path, and Hope

September 21st, Joel 1-3

       Truth, path and hope is a great combination, take away one and what do you have left. Joel starts off his word with some truth, here's what's happening. To be delusional about what's happening so you will feel better won't actually help you. There needs to be some sort of assessment. There's no vitality without reality.
       A path, where do we go. Twice in one week my observations are about hunger. Days ago was the issue of being full and forgetting God. Here Joel invites us to fast, weep and mourn, rend your hearts and not your garments. Verses later he invites a gathering for a fast. We invite a gathering for a potluck, maybe everything has it's place...everything has it's time...a time to gather stones and a time to caste them away. What is it about hunger that we should learn to step into.
       Hope is at the heart of this story. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, he relents over disaster." Because God is part of the story there is ALWAYS hope.
       We all need the truth, keeping in step with the Spirit. I encourage you to consider a plan to fast as part of your spiritual disciplines. Maybe some planned hunger would be of great use to us. If you've lost hope, I encourage you to go back and read Ezekiel 37. Truth, a path, and hope...I pray you have all three!