REPENTANCE, DELIVERANCE AND RESTORATION

 JOEL 2

Joel 2 reminds us that repentance isn’t God pushing us away—it’s God calling us back. When the Lord says, “Even now, return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12), it’s full of hope. Even now means right where you are, in the middle of real life, God is still inviting you to turn back to Him. He’s not asking for religious performances or dramatic displays, which is why He says, “Rend your heart and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). God is simply asking for honesty. He wants our hearts, not our acting. And the reason we can come back without fear is because He is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and full of love—always ready to receive us.

David describes this same experience so personally in Psalm 32. He says, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven” (Psalm 32:1), and then he admits how heavy life felt when he tried to hide his sin. He talks about feeling worn down and exhausted until he finally brought everything into the open before God. The moment David confessed, God forgave him (Psalm 32:3–5). Many of us know that feeling—carrying things we were never meant to carry. Psalm 32 reminds us that confession isn’t meant to shame us; it’s meant to free us.

The beautiful promise in Joel 2 is that when we turn back to God, He responds with restoration and deliverance. God promises to remove shame, restore what was lost, and pour out His Spirit on His people (Joel 2:25–28). This points us straight to Jesus and the gospel, where forgiveness and new life are offered freely. Joel ends with a promise that still speaks to us today: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32). Repentance isn’t about living in regret—it’s about stepping into freedom, healing, and a fresh start with God.

Dr Paul Gitwaza said “The greatest battles we fight are within our hearts, because battles outside will destroy the fresh but inside battles will take the soul”.

 

Response:

 

Psalm 51: Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is^[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    in burnt offerings offered whole;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.