Even now, declares the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments, return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate. Joel 2:12, 13.
It was exceptionally hot and dry in mid-western America, the “bread-basket” of the nation. In a certain congregation of which many members were farmers, and therefore directly dependent upon the products of the land for a livelihood, the council decided to have a special prayer service for rain. In the service the pastor gave a message and several members of the congregation offered prayers for rain. At the close of the service a few of the members commented that they enjoyed the service, but that one necessary part was missing.
Jimmy Jones was an eight–year-old boy living in the city. He had just gotten a new bicycle for his birthday. Repeatedly he had been warned about riding on the street. But this Jimmy soon forgot, and was hit broad-side by a car. For days he was lying unconscious in the hospital. Members of the congregation “put” his name on the prayer chain list. How people prayed that he might recover. Again, someone remarked that this was all good, but something extremely important was missing in most prayers. What was that?
The text quoted above from the book of Joel speaks of judgments. The prophet has announced the coming of a severe plague of locusts which would devour all of the fruit of the land. Judgments were coming. The Bible often warns of judgments, of wars and rumors of wars, poverty, earthquakes and many other kinds of calamities. The judgments of God are upon the world today, and, in many respects, also upon the church.
A reader of Old Testament history observes how often God brought His judgments upon Israel. Think, for example of the periods of the Judges, of the Kings and of the prophets. Again and again the Lord brought physical catastrophies upon His people, often using other nations to oppress them, sending drought and storms, and even deporting the entire nation into Babylon. Think of the bloodshed, suffering and hardships which these judgments brought to multitudes of people.
And let us not overlook the similar judgments upon the nations in the New Testament. The Bible speaks of spiritual judgments which are even more to be feared than the physical. Paul says, in connection with the coming of “the lawless one” in the last days, that the Lord ·will send upon the people a power of delusion that they will believe the lie. II Thess. 2:11.
Why should we mention such depressing things? Because they are taught in Scripture and are truths which illuminate the present troubles of the countries in which we live.
What does the Lord by these judgments prod us to do? What did the Lord want those farmers to do in that time of alarming drought? For what should the parents and friends of Jimmy pray when he was in the hospital?
On July 1 the citizens of Canada, and on July 4 the citizens of the U.S. celebrate the birthdays of their countries. It’s time for prayer, but prayer for what? This year President Reagan designated May 6 as a National Day of Prayer. Again we must ask, “Prayer for what?” Should our prayers be only or primarily for our physical welfare, for physical relief and material prosperity? The apostle Paul, speaking about material things, tells us that the Lord has given us all good things richly to enjoy. But the danger is that we separate the physical from the spiritual, and pray primarily for our physical welfare. Thus our prayers become man and self-centered, and try to use God for ourselves, and our physical well–being.
When a sinner is born again and becomes a Christian be becomes that with his whole being. Body and soul, he is a new creation. If he lives as a Christian he may not permit the body still to be used for sinful self and devote only the soul to the Lord. All must be for the Lord. The physical must also serve the spiritual. Essentially all of his life is spiritual Paul tells us, that whether he lives or dies, his goal is that Christ may be made great.
This principle determines how we should pray. Surely we may pray for relief in times of distress, but that with the relief we will serve the Lord, whether that distress is a severe drought, or an injured child in a hospital. Hasn’t it often been said of sickness, that the Lord puts us on our backs so that we’ll look up. That is the purpose of t he Lord’s judgments.
One word that stands out in bold relief in all of Script ure is Repentance.
Think of how the Lord called Israel to repentance in the time of the judges, of the kings, and in all times of apostasy and judgments throughout the Old Testament. Think of Elijah who actually prayed that it would not rain in order that Israel would repent. (I wonder what even the nominal church would do with a man like that today.) Joel announced the coming of the great plague of hordes of locusts because of the sins of Israel, and therefore called them to repentance. John the Baptist called the church to repentance as a “voice in the wilderness.” In t he last book of the Bible, Revelation, the Apostle John forewarns us of the judgments that will be brought upon mankind. He also repeatedly says, “And they repented not.” God is calling men to repentance with these judgments. When our countries celebrate their birthdays, or when the leaders of the lands declare certain days to be national days of prayer we must pray and give thanks. We are also called to preach and to pray for repentance.
Repentance, which is rooted in regeneration, is a change of life-style. It includes a sincere confession of sin, a turning away from it, and a desire of the heart to live more sanctified lives in Christ Jesus. Repentance means to be more “in Christ” and like Him.
The call to repentance should “ring-out” to the churches. They are threatened by their own lethargy and complacency, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” The warning of the prophet Amos still comes to us, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion.” And let us beware that we don’t consider the call the repentance only for the world. The Pharisees said to Christ when He admonished them, “We are children of Abraham.” In other words, “We belong to the church; that’s not for us.”
Daily we listen to the news of our own countries and of the world, and much of what we hear and read is alarming. God’s clarion call of repentance comes to us in all these things. Let us pray for the help of His grace and Spirit, that we may return to Him with all our hearts and lives.