By Belina Sithole

“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness: He relents from doing harm.” Joel 2:13

In the verse we just read, Joel 2:13, it says ‘rend your heart and not your garments.’  and verse 12 says ‘return to me with all your heart’.

My understanding from these verses is that for us to repent, we must do so whole heartedly and not try to do it for show or under false pretence. Sometimes when you offend someone, or do something wrong, it’s easy to apologise and not really mean it and if you’re good at it the other person might believe that you’re truly sorry. But we know that we cannot fool God.

God knows our hearts; he knows when we are really trying to live a life that is pleasing to him and when we are genuine about it.

The verse then goes on to say, ‘for he is a gracious and merciful God’. So, if we are genuine about changing our lifestyle, even when we fail, God willingly forgives us. Why, because we do not earn God’s forgiveness, no matter how good of a person you might be or how much work you put in, God forgives us because he is a gracious and merciful God who is slow to anger and of great kindness.

So today I choose to remember that I’m saved by God’s grace, his love and mercy are much greater than my sins.

Prayer: God I thank you for your grace and mercy, I pray that I continue to seek you with all my heart and remain faithful to you. Amen!