“Return to the Lord your God

With all your heart.” (Joel Chapter 2:12)           

“God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; And he relents from doing harm and leaves a blessing behind him.” (Joel Chapter 2:13)

        “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Today’s picture of the world looks very grim because man has decided to take things into his own hands. That is why we have had all the wars. Man has not learnt from the horrors of history. History is good if we learn from it.

We are living in a world that is changing fast. There is nothing secure in this world. We all need something we can trust and is reliable. In a world that is so unpredictable we need to return to God. Who else can you trust?

God has always called us to return to him. Unfortunately, people often don’t see that is the problem. The concept of a relationship with God is very alien to us. I think the word “relationship” is a bit problematic as many people down here don’t have a positive relationship.  Many people’s world is full of a negative experience of relationship where trust has been broken again and again.

For many years I struggled with the word a “Relationship with God.” A better word is a “friendship with God.” We can be friends with God. Children understand the term “friends” better than adults.

God has said from day one that the problem is our friendship with him. We have turned our backs on him. Unfortunately, politicians and people don’t see that as an issue. God wants us to come back to him.  Israel had sinned time and time again but returned to God. Each time God accepted them when they returned to him. God is merciful.

A beautiful description of the mercy of God. “He relents from doing harm and leaves behind a blessing”. If God was to deliver his judgement today no one who would escape as such is his holiness.

There are some people who think God is out to do them harm. This is not the God Jesus talked about. Jesus said, “God is your Loving Father who has even counted the hairs on your head. He even knows when a sparrow dies.” God knows everything that is sometimes hard to comprehend especially in the times of a loss of a loved one.

God has said from the very beginning “He is a very jealous God, and he wants to be number 1 in our lives.” Often our lives our so crowded with things of this world. God is not number 1. God has promised to leave behind a blessing when we come back to him!

The best decision you and I will ever make will be to come back to God. This is an important decision. We have this moment we are living in but tomorrow is not promised to anyone!

                                         Dear God

                                        I return to you

                      Help me to let go of the things that hinder

                                      My friendship with you

                      Please heal my memory, my imagination,

                                           And my mind.

                                      Please set me free.

                                            Thank you

                                                 Amen

                                            24/06/2026 

                                   By harbajan (servant of Jesus).

                                                     www.godislove.me.uk