ESOCS Devotional 18 September 2024 – Cry Out to God
MEMORY VERSE: “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God and cry out to the Lord.” Joel 1:14 NIV
TEXT: JOEL 1:14-20
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is at hand;
It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.
16 Is not the food cut off before our eyes,
Joy and gladness from the house of our God?
17 The seed shrivels under the clods,
Storehouses are in shambles;
Barns are broken down,
For the grain has withered.
18 How the animals groan!
The herds of cattle are restless,
Because they have no pasture;
Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.
19 O Lord, to You I cry out;
For fire has devoured the open pastures,
And a flame has burned all the trees of the field.
20 The beasts of the field also cry out to You,
For the water brooks are dried up,
And fire has devoured the open pastures.
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During times of great disaster, sickness or unrest people are scared. People are dying and many are living in fear, not sure what is going on or what is going to happen next. They do not know when things will change and get back to normal.
During the time of Joel, the nation of Israel was being overrun and destroyed. He called for the people to fast and cry out to God.
When great disasters come upon people, the world really does not know what to do. Sometimes, it is the world that is bringing on the problems, raising persecution against all believers.
God often allows disaster to come when the people are refusing to serve Him with all of their hearts. The church is not being His witness and people are living in sin. God wants their attention, thus brings on disaster.
As this occurs, believers must begin to fast and cry out to God. They need to seek forgiveness for their sins and not doing His will. The believers can turn the eyes of the people back to God and get them on the right track.
God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. He is quick to relent bringing on disaster if His people will call out to Him. The land as a whole must cry out to God and turn from their wicked ways so that He can heal them and the land.
- Are you going through a time of disaster or trouble, or do you know of others who are going through it themselves.?
- Lord, I pray that I may truly know you as Saviour; that I may seek mercy upon all people; and that I will humble myself and live for you. Amen.
Further Reading: Luke 12:22-31; Zechariah 7:1-7; 1 Corinthian 6:1-11
ESOCS Devotional 18 September 2024
