God’s Way of Escape

There seemed to be no answers. God’s people faced problems that did not seem to have any solutions. Their environment was fraught with turmoil and trouble. Their hearts were filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

Yet God said that there was a solution. But just one way. His people needed to turn to Him with their whole heart. They had to turn away from everything else, and focus on Him. They had to cultivate a deeper fellowship with Him.

This meant re-evaluating their lives in the light of His Word. It meant stop doing things that displeased Him, but listening to Him and rejecting anything that separated them from Him.

The message in Joel indicates that they needed to be serious about seeking Him. This was to be accompanied “with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” They truly needed to reflect on what they had done, the situations they were in, and their need of Him.

This process meant that they needed to acknowledge that it had been wrong to follow the world and their own thoughts. That He was right about everything, and they needed to do things His way. That they only could receive His blessings if they lived only for Him.

These same principles still are true. God is ready to help us, and provide solutions to the problems we face. But we, too, need to turn to Him with our whole being. Not just a little, but every part of us. To confess our sins and seek Him. And we must keep His Word, and eliminate anything from our lives that is displeasing to Him.

Today, remember that God is ready to provide a way of escape for you in Jesus, because “He is gracious and merciful.” He will answer your questions and meet your needs. Seek Him with your whole heart, for He is the answer.