Begging To Be Spared

Let the priests, who minister in the LORD’s presence,

stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar.

Let them pray, “Spare your people, LORD!

Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery.

Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,

‘Has the God of Israel left them?’ ”

Then the LORD will pity his people

and jealously guard the honor of his land.

Joel 2:17-18

When we are in trouble, we easily cry out, “Save me.” Sometimes those words, however, roll off our tongues too easily. Although Joel did encourage the Israelites to ask the Lord to spare them, he first told them how they should approach God (Joel 2:12-13). Their pleas for mercy should be accompanied by genuine repentance. Rather than merely tearing their clothes to express grief, they were to have broken hearts for offending God. They were to approach him with fasting, weeping, and mourning. God was eager to forgive his people in those days, and he will be merciful to us as well when we repent of our sins.

Praise God for his abundant mercy and great compassion for sinners. Ask him to help you reflect his mercy to others.

• O Lord, spare me . . .