Outward Signs

Joel 2:13 (NIV)

“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.”

In the ancient world, there were a lot of torn clothes. Tearing your clothes, putting on sackcloth, or covering yourself in ashes was an outward sign that you were mourning. Spiritually, it was an outward sign that you were mourning your sin. You were repentant. In this verse, the Bible is telling us that God doesn’t care about outward signs. He doesn’t care if you tear your clothes, put on sackcloth or cover yourself with ashes. He doesn’t care if you shave off all your hair. He doesn’t care if you wear the right clothes to church on Sunday, sit in the right seat, or even if you’re there for every single service.

What God cares about most is the condition of your heart. You see the thing is that we can do all those outward signs with a heart that isn’t repentant. We can look like we’re righteous on the outside without really having a heart for God on the inside. But God looks at our hearts. He wants our hearts to be repentant. He wants to see hearts that have been broken over our awareness of sin and are turning back to Him.

God gives us a promise here as well. Sometimes we may hide from God, like Adam and Eve did. We’re afraid that if we come to God, brokenhearted over our sin, He might reject us. He might say, “Well, I forgave you last time and the time before that and the time before that, but I’m not forgiving you anymore because your chances have run out.” But look at what this verse says: “he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” The Message translation says it like this: “God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe.”

God never runs out of patience for us. He never runs out of grace. As long as you are truly repentant, God forgives. Over and over and over again. He forgives. Because He is merciful and kind. He does not want to see anyone perish. He wants us all to find everlasting life. So take some time and examine your heart. If you need to, repent. God is waiting with open arms to see the inward signs of your repentance.

Father, thank you that you are a merciful, kind, and patient God. Thank you that you are always willing to forgive if I come to you with true repentance in my heart. I thank you that outward signs don’t matter to you. I don’t have to tear my clothes or cover myself in ashes to show my repentance, I just have to bring my broken heart to you. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.