Loving God, help this dear reader find the path of purpose for his or her life; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Here is our text from the prophet Joel, chapter 2: 23 Children of Zion, celebrate! Be glad in your God. He's giving you a teacher to train you how to live right - Teaching, like rain out of heaven, showers of words to refresh and nourish your soul, just as he used to do. 24 And plenty of food for your body - silos full of grain, casks of wine and barrels of olive oil. 25 "I'll make up for the years of the locust, the great locust devastation - Locusts savage, locusts deadly, fierce locusts, locusts of doom, That great locust invasion I sent your way. 26 You'll eat your fill of good food. You'll be full of praises to your God, The God who has set you back on your heels in wonder. Never again will my people be despised. 27 You'll know without question that I'm in the thick of life with Israel, That I'm your God, yes, your God, the one and only real God. Never again will my people be despised. The Sun Turning Black and the Moon Blood-Red 28 "And that's just the beginning: After that - "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters. Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions. 29 I'll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both. 30 I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: Blood and fire and billowing smoke, 31 the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Judgment Day of God, the Day tremendous and awesome. 32 Whoever calls, 'Help, God!' gets help. On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a great rescue - just as God said. Included in the survivors are those that God calls.
If you read this passage closely, part of it should sound very familiar and you may have thought, "I've read part of this somewhere else!" Yes, you have. It's found in Acts 2:16ff. God keeping God's promise to God's people. One of the things we can learn from this Old Testament passage is that even if we have had a rough life and have had some rough patches, God has been with us and has kept record of those. God also promises that the times to follow will more than make up for the bad we have had to endure. If you had times of hunger, times of abundance have followed. If it was a matter of your reputation, a better name will come to you if you stay in a relationship with God. The greater promise is the one fulfilled on Pentecost Day, God poured out the Holy Spirit to come and dwell among us and in us. And it was not just a blessing of privilege, it was one of purpose. God uses the HolySpirit to guide, direct, and bless us. Our God is a God of hope, promise, purpose, and rescue.
PRAYER: Loving God, I ask that I might find from You the plan and purpose for my life. Send my way those whom I can bless as they seek to know You and about You. Give me Your words, Your courage, Your boldness and Your strength. I pray this in the name of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
