Rend your heart and not your garments.

Joel 2:12-19, “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a grain offering and a libation for the Lord your God? Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare Thy people, O Lord, and do not make Thine inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’” Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and will have pity on His people. And the Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied in full with them; and I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.

Last week at our Tuesday morning men’s Bible study, I passed out a call to prayer for our nation and our leaders. This week there were three of us who came. We know that many people are upset about politicians; it’s interesting to see how many actually are willing to intercede before the Lord. We are encouraged by Paul to pray for those in authority; we also know that they serve at God’s pleasure. Are we willing to humble ourselves before Him, rending our hearts, and interceding for those who do not know Him?

Change my heart, O God; bring revival to our nation that Your name may be glorified!