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By Josh Weidmann on
Monday, September 08, 2008 11:13 AM
"Yet even now, " Joel 2:12 states, "Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with morning; and render your hearts and not your garments."
Yesterday I went shopping for new clothes. With the chill in the air I thought that I would see if there were any good deals on some fall shirts and pants that would keep me warm and still be stylish. As I walked the isles I couldn't help but get discouraged. The prices were too high, the styles were just not my type, and nothing seemed to fit me right. There finally came a point when I just didn't' care anymore... so I left without accomplishing the task I'd set out to do.
Some time between my exiting the bustling department store and now, I had the thought, "I sure am glad that God doesn't care about my clothes." and as quickly as that thought was birthed, another followed, "..but he cares so much about my heart."
God only asks me to 'render to him my heart', which with in the dictionary definition means to "submit or present for inspection or consideration." The last thing that he wants to look closely at is my outward appearance, but he is intensely preoccupied with my inward state.
We must not be people that are working hard to make ourselves and our ministry look good on the outside, but rather be a ministry of hearts that are completely consecrated to Him. I know this is hard and interesting times for us, but in the midst of it all, let us not lose sight of the one that is allowing us to do His work in the first place.
Ver 13 goes on to say, "Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abouding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster."
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