Lent Day 1: Joel 2:12–13

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”

Lent begins not with our effort, but with God’s invitation. Through the prophet Joel, the Lord calls His people to return—not partially, not outwardly, not performatively—but “with all your heart.” Israel had faced disaster and loss, and in their fear they were tempted to fall back on religious motions: torn clothes, loud ceremonies, visible signs of sorrow. God interrupts that instinct with a sharper word: “Rend your heart, and not your garments.”

In the ancient world, tearing one’s clothes was a public sign of grief or repentance. It was dramatic. It was visible. And it was easy to fake. God is not impressed by spiritual theater. He is after something far more difficult and far more beautiful: a broken and honest heart.
This is where Lent rightly begins. Before we talk about fasting, discipline, sacrifice, or spiritual growth, we start with return. Not self-improvement. Not image management. Not religious resolutions. We start by coming home.

Notice what kind of God we are returning to. Joel does not describe a harsh God waiting to punish reluctant sinners. He describes a God who is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” Repentance is not walking toward a clenched fist—it is walking toward open arms. We do not return because God is cruel. We return because He is good.  Lent is not about proving how sorry we are. It is about letting God change what we love, what we trust, and what we cling to. A torn heart is a heart that is no longer pretending. It is a heart that says, “Lord, I need You more than I need to look righteous. I need Your mercy more than I need my pride.”

This is also why repentance is not a one-time event. It is a posture. It is a daily turning. Every day we discover new places where our hearts have drifted—toward control, comfort, approval, or fear. And every day, God’s invitation stands: “Return to Me.”
Today, don’t start Lent by listing everything you plan to fix. Start by opening your heart. Let God show you where you’ve grown cold, distracted, or divided. And then come back—not to shame, not to punishment—but to grace.

Prayer:
Lord, I return to You with my whole heart. Tear away what is false in me, and heal what is broken in me. Thank You that You are gracious, patient, and full of mercy. Teach me to walk this Lenten journey honestly and humbly with You. Amen.