Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will you be shamed.”
– Joel 1:2-4, 2:12-13, 25-26
Devotion
Joel arose with a word from God during a devastating locust plague that destroyed the entire Kingdom of Judah. God sent this locust swarm to get the attention of the people of Judah. They had wandered far from their devotion to YAHWEH. God used this event to call the people back to devotion to Himself. He promises to restore Judah if they would just “return to me with all your heart.” God declares Himself to be gracious and compassionate. It is not His desire to bring judgment upon a rebellious people, but He will do whatever it takes for His people to be restored in their relationship with Himself.
The Big Question
Is God trying to get your attention on something? Has He sent some locusts to eat away at something that you are holding onto? God disciples us for our good that we may share in His holiness; but we must respond to His discipline with humble hearts of repentance. Are you experiencing the grace and mercy of God today?
Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.