“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain” (Joel 2:1; KJV). The prophet Joel lamented the destruction of Israel’s crops by locusts as a result of God’s judgement for disobedience. Later in His prophesy to Israel Joel brought God’s call for repentance; a call for the people of Israel to turn back to God with all their heart. (Joel 2:12).

I often look sadly at the modern church and think how we need prophets like Joel to sound the alarm. We need to ask ourselves if our churches are salt and light (Matt 5:13-14). Are we impacting our world and turning it right side up? Do we praise and worship our God: “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23)? Do we put God first in our lives (Matt 6:33)? Are signs wonders and miracles part of our regular church experience (Heb 2:4)? Are our churches growing as they did in the early days of the age of grace in which we live (Acts 2:41)? This early experience of the church is described in the book of the Acts of the Apostles; you should read it. Do we have the same zeal for God, his word and his body the church?

How do we get back to the vibrancy and power God desires in his church? Well, maybe as a start, we need to consider God’s admonition given to Israel by Joel (Joel 2:12-13). “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.” To rend your heart is to humble yourself and repent of sin. What impact we would see if whole churches got on their knees and sincerely sought God; think about it. Put your programs and man-made approaches aside and humbly seek God. God is waiting.

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