A National Fast

““Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ””. ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭

Joel calls for a national prayer of repentance. The Lord asks the people to turn to Him with their whole hearts. He describes fasting as weeping and mourning in repentance and turning back to Him. He asks for them to rend (to tear into two or more pieces, to wrench violently or cause great emotional pain.) their hearts. He asked for everyone to be involved from the nursing child, the children, the priests, those in preparation for marriage, He wanted all to participate in the prayer of fasting.

Joel was hoping that God would see the heart of the people and relent. He hoped instead of the punishment that God would bless them. He was also reminding God that others were watching Israel, so it really was for the sake of His name that they were calling out to Him and repenting.

What can I learn from this passage on fasting?

• Fasting can be coupled with mourning, weeping and repentance.
• God wants our whole hearts when we fast.
• It is okay to be broken before the Lord during a fast.
• There can and should be times of national repentance.
• All people can be involved in a fast.
• It is okay to put an expectation on God to live up to His name for the world to see.
• We can ask for blessing instead of punishment with a repentant heart.
• We can still give gifts and offerings when we fast.

Lord, our nation is in a place where we need to repent for removing You from so many key areas of our society. Lord, we have allowed so many to be sacrificed on the alter of personal rights. We have stayed silent while prayer was taken out of the schools, public places, and the very rights others are claiming they have been denied are now being denied of Christians. Lord, You alone know the answer. You alone can heal the hurts of those denied their basic freedoms. You alone can bring unity in a nation so divided. Lord, humble Your people, let us seek Your face and repent from our evil, and truly cry out to You that You will hear from heaven and heal this land. Amen.