Today's Verse: Joel 2:13

Thursday, February 13, 2020

[The Lord declares,] "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

One of the most amazing things about our God, the Lord God, is that he is so gracious and compassionate. This is true even when we've "blown it big time." He longs to forgive and cleanse when we sin, not condemn and punish us. His grace rushes to greet our genuine heartbreak and heart change with forgiveness, cleansing, and redemption. But God is not about playing religious games or practicing empty religious rituals that are not heartfelt. Our repentance must come from a heart genuinely committed to turn back to the Lord and live for him!

My Prayer...

Dear Father, when I sin, please help me see my sin as you see it. I want my heart to break over my sin when I've rebelled against you. I don't want to ever become callused or cold to your graciousness. I always want to appreciate the high cost you paid to redeem, forgive, and cleanse me with your grace in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

4 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Joel 2:13 — [The Lord declares,] "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, February 13, 2020

A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
"[Jesus continued teaching about the Kingdom:] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of..."
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
"Dear Father, guarantor of freedom, Help me to run well! Help me not to be hindered from obeying the truth! Don't let me be persuaded by a viewpoint....."
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will..."
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
"Seeing that we have such a God to trust to, let us rest upon him with all our weight; let us resolutely drive out all unbelief, and endeavour to get....."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.