🧠 Joel 2:12 | You Pour Out, He Pours In

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

If you missed it, we have a new look this week! 👀 

We made some visual updates to our emails to make reading feel like you’re in an Oasis, aka the still waters referenced in Psalm 23:

We hope you like it!

In today’s email…

• 🗣️ What we can learn from the original Hebrew

• 🤔 Simple ways to seek God with hunger today

• 📚️ Resources to help you dig deeper

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MEMORIZE 🧠 

“Yet ____ ___,” ________ ___ ____,

“return to __ ____ all ____ _____,

____ fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;"

Joel 2:12

CONTEXT 📕 

As we learned yesterday, Joel 2:12 is part of a larger story of God calling his people to repentance.

Let’s look at the three bolded words below to get a better understanding of what the prophet Joel is communicating:

Let’s look at three words to get a better understanding of what the prophet Joel is saying:

• Return: The Hebrew word used here is šûḇ (pronounced shoob), which literally means “to turn back.” It means to physically turn and put yourself in a different position, giving your attention to what’s in front of you.

• Rend: The word “rend” is translation of the Hebrew term qāraʿ (kaw rah’), which means “to tear apart, to make wide and open.”

• Heart(s): The Hebrew word lēḇāḇ (lay bawb’) appears twice here and can be translated as “the inner part or soul of man.”

In the context of our memory verse, God calls His people to turn from apathy, pour out our sin at His feet, and return to genuine worship with all of our being.

It’s as if God is communicating:

Bring me your heart and pour out your sin, and I will bring you restoration and pour out My Spirit.

TOGETHER WITH THE POUR OVER

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APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃‍♂️ 

It’s easy to pay lip service to the principle of repentance. And it’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of apathy towards God.

So, how can you repent and seek God with legitimate hunger?

Take one practical step to move towards God today. Here are some ideas:

• Express your feelings of apathy honestly before God and ask Him what the root of it is

• Fast from distractions like social media or tv to create mental space for communion with Him

• Tell 1-2 trusted friends that you’re struggling with apathy and invite them to speak into your relationship with God

• Do something generous. Tip big, make a meal for a neighbor, or give the grocery checkout person a compliment.

• Ask specifically for hunger for God as a gift from Him (read, write or pray Psalm 63:1)

When you’re stuck in apathy, the key is to be honest with God, start small and do things that stir up your heart for the things of God.

RESOURCES 📚️ 

Here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into this week’s passage:

• 💻️ What Should I Do about My Spiritual Apathy? (link)

• 📚️ Joel and Amos: An Introduction and Commentary from Tyndale (link)

• 📚️ Joel, Amos, and Obadiah: A 12-Week Study (link)

• 📚️ Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Joel, and Obadiah: God's Comfort for His People by John MacArthur (link)

• 🎥 The Bible Project’s Summary of Joel (link)

• 🎵 Joel 2:12 (KJV) by Bastien Family Scripture Songs (Spotify | Apple Music)

• 🎵 Joel 2:12 (ESV) by Mary Belle (Youtube)

ANSWER KEY ✅ 

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,

“return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;"

Joel 2:12