Good Morning!! It is a Saturday, I am not working, and the kids are still asleep! I just went outside and picked a colander full of strawberries from my backyard. They are so pretty!
We have all been either sick or attacked by allergies over the past week. Yesterday I worked and had a terrible allergy attack all day. I sneezed over and over, my eyes were constantly watering and my nose was dripping. I took 3 different things throughout the day but nothing was working. I kept having to tell my customers that I promised I was not sick, but I had allergies. Here I am touching their fruits and veggies with my hands and I did not want them to think I was going to pass on a cold or the flu. I looked and sounded (and felt) like I had the flu. I got through the day...just reminding myself that I could have something worse that could not be treated or that would not end. There were times though when I was irritated with my nose and eyes...they would not stop. And I had to remind myself to be thankful in everything...at all times. So this morning I am so thankful to have the day off, have a home that I feel safe in, and have a God that loves, protects and loves my family.
This morning I was reading in Joel. I just opened my bible and that is where I landed. I don't often do that, but this morning when I went to turn the pages to where I had left off yesterday, I felt the Lord tell me to stay where I landed. So I read the short book in the Old Testament.
Joel tells of the locust that came in and destroyed everything. The locust swarmed over the land like an army. There were 4 different types: the cutting locust, the swarming locust, the hopping locust, and the stripping locust. It says they "were too numerous to count" (Joel 1:6). They ate the grapes, invaded the land, destroyed the grapevines, ruined the fig trees, ruined the wheat and barley crops, the pomegranate trees, palm trees, the apple trees...all gone. (Joel 1:7-12).
The people relied not only on the land to make money, they relied on the crops to feed them. The locust stole the land, ate their provision, and took their security. This is what the enemy does. He comes in to kill, steal, and destroy. These people were sinning. They had chosen to do things in their own strength, power, and direction. And everything they hoped for and relied on was taken by an army of locust. First one set of locust came in. And then after that each set of locust came in to get the rest and totally destroy the land.
But God.
He said:
"Turn to me now, while there is still time. Give me your hearts. come with fasting weeping, and mourning." (Joel 2:12)
God wants us to turn to him. Now. While we still have a chance to be restored and redeemed.
"The Lord says, 'I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locust, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. " (Joel 2:25)
I love that promise. I remember when I was being restored and I discovered this scripture. I had been beating myself up over all that I had destroyed. I was mad over all I had lost because of my actions and decisions. This scripture gave me hope. And it helped me stop beating myself up and live in the promise that God would restore the time I gave up, the relationships I lost, and the talents I wasted. I still had consequences for my actions, but as I turned to God, He restored and redeemed the broken path I had gone down.
What has come in to your world like an army of locusts that has kept you from fully giving your heart, time, and energy to the Lord? Maybe it is watching too much TV, being negative, giving up and not doing anything, depression, our past, labels, trying to keep up with the world. What has swarmed in or quietly hopped around taking what God gave you. What has taken your peace or stolen from your crop?
God says turn to me now. Give Him those things. Write them down and know that God does not intend for those to sweep over the territory He gave you. He wants to restore all. Let him.
Today I have some heart searching to do!
But I stand on the promise that "I will give you back what you lost"!
God loves you so much. He wants our whole heart.
Tell me something that stands in your way so that I can pray for you.
Blessings!
Teresa
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