Joe 2:13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.
The idiom ” rend our hearts” expresses spiritual internal brokenness. People in the old Testament days expressed sorrow by tearing their garments. Anyone who came across such people knew that they were grieving because they would publicly tear their clothes.
However, the outward display did not always correspond with the actual state of the heart. That’s why prophet Joel appealed for something deeper than just the tearing of their garments. They were to rend their hearts and not their garments! Instead of tearing their clothes, Joel pleaded with them to do the same with their hearts ; turn to God in repentance and surrender wholly to him!
We are in the midst of a serious economic crisis; high inflation rates, joblessness, business closures , disastrous climatic patterns, animosity attacks from fellow human beings, 2Ch 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then i will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. The good news is , if we render our hearts, hey will heal our land.
Further readings:
1Sa 7:3
2Ki 20:25
Isa 55:7
🙏 Blessed Day 🙏