A Locust Problem
So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
– Joel 2:25-26 NKJV.
In a previous church where I was the pastor there was a man who had a different kind of testimony than most of us hear today. His testimony was that he had never touched a drop of alcohol and he had never done any drugs. Usually, the testimony we hear in these days is just the opposite. It is possible through the power of God to live a life free from those sinful things. If we have never become involved with alcohol, drugs, sexual immorality, or other immoral things it is much easier to live a holy life.
What about the rest of us? Those of us who have become bogged down in sin? The Israelites had become bogged down in sin. They went through the feast days just as though they were rituals that had to be performed. They did not really worship God. How could they worship God when their hearts were so far from Him? The further they got from God the worse things became for them. The years they spent in sin were wasted years. The wasted years were years which the locusts ate up just as locusts sometimes eat up a crop.
God said through the prophet to His sinful people, and He is saying the same to us today:
“Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm. (Joel 2:12-13).”
If the people would turn back to God, if we will turn back to God, He will restore the years the locusts have eaten. No, the years may not be restored in our lives day for day. However, God is able to intensify the quality of life which we have.
We may have lived all of our lives in sin and think what is the use of changing now? In addition, to gaining eternal life and living forever and ever in Heaven; God would give you abundant life now. One month lived in the power, strength, joy, peace, love, and fellowship of God is better than all the days I lived in sin. It will be for you too.
1 John 1:9 may be just the verse you need today. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”