Joel 2:25

"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten."

There are extraordinary promises of God in Scripture which speak directly to the heart and soul. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) is arguably the most familiar example of such a promise. But perhaps one of the best verses in all of Scripture that speaks specifically to the restoration of a sinful person, made clean by God’s amazing grace and mercy, is found in the Old Testament: Joel 2:25. The context in which this verse is written comes in the midst of God bringing forth judgment in the form of a drought and locust infestation against Judah. According to The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: “The people had taken God and his blessings for granted. Faith had degenerated into an empty formalism and their lives into moral decadence. To Joel, the locust plague was a warning of a greater judgment that was coming unless the people repented and returned to fellowship with God. If they did, God would pardon them and restore the health of the land.”

How true of our lives today! We are a people who consistently and (if we are truly being honest with ourselves) un-apologetically take for granted the blessings and grace of God by choosing our sinful nature over God. I believe for the most part, those who have accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation do not intentionally conspire to sin against Him, but we are lulled to sleep by living a monotonous and mundane level of spiritual vigor which leaves us feeling incomplete and distant from God. Quality time with God through Bible study and prayer is often replaced with extracurricular activities, work responsibilities, etc. In other words, God has simply been squeezed out of our daily lives because a relationship with Him is often viewed as convicting and/or condemning rather than rewarding and fulfilling. We have believed the lie rather than killed the serpent! Why then should we be surprised by the lack of joy we feel in our soul based on the health of our spiritual relationship with Him? The true beauty of Joel 2:25 is that God was (and still is) merciful toward His people when we repent and turn back to Him. No doubt we, like Judah, do not deserve His grace based on how we respond to Him through our thoughts, words and actions. However, to those who willingly return to Him with broken and repentant hearts (Luke 15:17-21), He is willing and able to restore His eternal joy and blessings that once were traded for the pleasures of this world (Genesis 25:29-34).

When I reflect upon Joel 2:25, I am burdened with immense regret for the blessings I traded over the years by indulging in sin (particularly, pride and lust). Whether major or minor, I was and still am a habitual sinner in that I do not have my armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) securely fastened and prepared for battle at all times. Honestly, we all are habitual sinners because we commit sin against God every day of our lives in one way or another and continue to make those same mistakes. The real question is whether we have repented of our sins and more importantly, are actively pursuing God’s wisdom by eliminating those sins and temptations from our lives. God has promised to restore the years that locust has eaten, but we must do our part by choosing to accept His unmerited grace and mercy. It all comes down to a choice. Praise God He is merciful beyond measure and we have the power to accept this promise He has given, being made whole again through Jesus Christ!