"Faithful Love" December 4 Readings: Joel 1:1-2:17, 2 Peter 2, Psalm 136:15–21, Proverbs 29:22–23

  

Reading the Bible in 2025

Each day this year, we will read a selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a portion of the Psalms, and a part of Proverbs. By the end of the year, you will have read the entire Bible. We read this way to give you a bit of variety. 

NOTE: If you get behind, do not give up. Read today's readings and try to catch up when you have a chance. The goal is not to "accomplish a task" but to meet God in his word. Read the word. Also, if you are short on time, READ GOD'S WORD and skip my devotional!

Bible Readings: Joel 1:1-2:17, 2 Peter 2, Psalm 136:15–21, Proverbs 29:22–23

    Scriptures linked to Bible Gateway in ESV version 

Daily Devotional: Faithful Love

Joel tells the entire story of sin and redemption, a microcosm of Israel's history, of God's grace and restoration toward them. In chapter 1, Joel calls Israel to task for their sin and explains the consequences of that sin. Israel was suffering greatly, and they often wondered why. They thought that since they were the chosen people of God, he should shield them from trouble.

God was allowing them to suffer the consequences of their wicked sin.

Tell your children about it,
and let your children tell their children,
and their children the next generation.
 What the devouring locust has left,
the swarming locust has eaten;
what the swarming locust has left,
the young locust has eaten;
and what the young locust has left,
the destroying locust has eaten. Joel 1:3-4

Sin is not only an offense to God, but it also destroys us. Like waves of locusts, it destroys the life that God has intended for us. Israel thought that they could embrace sin, idolatry, immorality, greed, and other sins and still experience the blessing of God and the joys of his presence. But sin doesn't work like that. It devastates and destroys.

There is a solution to sin. God opens his heart to repentant sinners. 

Even now—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
turn to me with all your heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
 Tear your hearts,
not just your clothes,
and return to the Lord your God.
For he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger, abounding in faithful love,
and he relents from sending disaster.  Joel 2:12-13

What a powerful statement. "Tear your hearts, not just your clothes." Real repentance - a heart of sorrow over sin, one that turns to God with a full, pure, and humble heart. Our great blessing is that God is not hard-hearted or vindictive. He responds to repentant sinners with grace. In fact, he initiates grace by seeking us in his love. He is faithful and good, always seeking reconciliation rather than judgment. 

Verse 19 (dipping into tomorrow's reading) tells us the end result of Israel's repentance (and ours). 

Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. Joel 2:19

He restores the repentant. 

It is my desire to walk consistently with God - when I consider what Christ has done for me, what else can I do? I have more than 60 years of history as a Christian, and I know who I am. Like Israel, I wander. I fail. I sin. Knowing who I am and what I do, it is a great comfort to know that the God who made me, the God who saved me, is a God who loves me, who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love. I wish that I did not presume on that grace as often as I do, but I am thankful that my God is love, that the Blood of his Son is forever powerful against sin, and that he never abandons me, even in my depths. 

Thank you, Father, for your amazing Grace. Thank you for the Blood of your Son that cleanses and restores me. 

 

Consider God's Word:

Which of these four passages spoke most clearly to you today? 

Is there sin in your life that needs to be confessed and dealt with that was revealed in one of these passages? 

Is there something in your life that needs to change?

Is there a struggle in your life that one of these passages spoke to? 

If it seems as though our "think and pray" section tells you to take time to reflect and thank God for your salvation and redemption about two or three times a week - you are not wrong! There is no story more powerful and nothing more worth reflection!