Joel 2:12-13: “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.”
As we enter into the 40 days of Lent, we are called to remember Christ’s journey to the cross as well as the 40 days he spent fasting in the wilderness. Just as Joel spoke to the Israelites, so the Lord speaks to us today. He calls us to a time of fasting and repentance. While this process is never the most comfortable or enjoyable, it is a process that leads to forgiveness, to healing, and to restoration to the Lord.
In the wilderness, in his ministry, and especially in his death, Jesus denied the desires of the flesh in order to submit to the desires of his Father. That is our calling as well.
Are fasting and repenting part of your Lenten experience? How can you implement these practices even more so that you can move even deeper into the love, forgiveness and healing of the Lord?