A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. Joel 1:6
Full disclosure: we don’t fully know exactly when Joel was written. Placed among the books of the minor prophets, Joel could have been a contemporary of Hosea and Amos, and could have written his book around the time they were alive. Or, he could have written it independently, during a time Israel was occupied by Babylon, or Persia. Or, he could have written it at a time we can’t discern.
No matter, Joel also wrote what God inspired to speak a message into your heart about your own life right now. You see, if you’re like me, your sins are sharp. Even the little ones, even the ones so insignificant (to us) that I don’t even remember them. But they bite all the same. Not a pinprick: this bite hurts. Our sins are like fire ants. Have you ever been bitten by fire ants? The ants are tiny, some no bigger than specks of dirt. Yet when they bite, they leave a red mark that quickly swells, developing a painful bump full of pus, and irresistibly itchy.
That’s my sin. That’s your sin. It has a sharp bite, a powerful poison that becomes irresistible, that you feel you have to scratch. Keep scratching and it’ll blister, then become infected, then become something much worse.
If you’re like me, the tiny sins of this world invade the land of my life and attack. They work to devour me, to destroy. They’re the locusts of sin, sometimes tiny mighty and unstoppable. Like a swarm of invading locusts, sin invades my life and eats away at everything. Sometimes the damage is isolated; most often, it becomes widespread and too public. I don’t know when Joel was written, but the prophet could have been writing about my life, could have been writing about the plague of sin that has enveloped our world.
If you let them, the locusts of sin will invade your land too. What will we do to fight them back?
Enter Jesus. Specifically, let Jesus enter the fight. He will fight for you. He will strengthen you to stand by his side, to resist the temptations that come from the evil one. Jesus will empower you with His holy word, enabling you to speak against the evil locusts of sin, driving them back. In doing so, He will be the one doing the real work. He will simply do it through you. But it will be a real fight all the same.
Wake up, my friend. The time for hiding from the fight is over. An enemy is invading the land. Call on the Lord, then stand up with Him to fight.
For more reading: Psalm 105:34, Revelation 9:8, Joel 1:7
Lord, I call on You. Let me stand with You!
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