August 13, 2025 - Joel 1-3

“Blow a trumpet in Zion;

      sound an alarm on my holy mountain!” (2:1)

And so, Joel cries out as he sees terrible, terrible destruction.  At the same time, as we have encountered over and over again, in the midst of judgment, the Lord has gracious words for his people:  “’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.’  And the prophet encourages, “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” (2:12,13).  Joel adds, “The Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel” (3:16).  How gracious is our God!  We just never get tired of rehearsing his graciousness toward us, do we?

Blow ye the trumpet, blow!

The gladly solemn sound

let all the nations know,

to earth’s remotest bound.

Extol the Lamb of God,

the all-atoning Lamb;

redemption in His blood

throughout the world proclaim.

The year of jubilee is come!

The year of jubilee is come!

Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.   -- Charles Wesley (1774)