Our American Christianity has a difficult time reading God into bad news. Bad news is usually “our fault.” It’s not God trying to get our attention. “That is not the God I know.” (Or some similar line.)

We want the promises without the pain of getting rid of the junk we have in our lives. Reading through the Book of Joel, it’s obvious we like that last half of the book. Years ago we sang a worship chorus called “Blow the Trumpet in Zion.” We would worship like crazy.

Then, I learned that particular passage we sang was about the Lord coming in judgment. It was a call for the priests to weep between the porch and the altar.

We didn’t care to actually know the context of that song. It was too fun!

As Pentecostals, of course we love the last part of chapter two:

²⁸ After that I will pour out my spirit upon everyone;
your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
²⁹ In those days, I will also pour out my
spirit on the male and female slaves. (Joel 2:28-29, CEB)

What we don’t want is the “crazy talk” of that first chapter! We don’t want to hear about having things “dry up” on us. We don’t want to hear about invading armies that come as acts of judgment.

Nope. Just give me the revival!

Or, we put the need for repentance off on someone else. Generally, it’s, “America needs to repent!”

But this is about the people of God. WE need to repent. WE need to realize we’ve been ignoring the ways of God.

There are tough things ahead if we keep ignoring the ways of God. Yet, God still calls out and gives the opportunity to repent. This isn’t a word you hear enough about: REPENT. It would imply we’ve done something wrong. For you to say that I’ve done something wrong is just mean. Don’t be mean!

But we need repentance. We need to see we’re off course. We need to understand we’re not listening to God very well. And if we don’t recognize it, then the threat of discipline just gets more ominous.

Yet, God still calls out. He asks his people to repent. He wants to restore. That is what the last part of Joel is about! Restoration.

But we need to realize we’ve lost something to understand the joy of having it restored.

There is no prosperity without pain.

There is no revival without repentance.