Today, I am reading and commenting on  Joel 1-3.

The prophet Joel describes a terrible plague of locusts which came upon the land of Israel.  He says that this disaster warns that the day of the Lord is near, a day of gloom and darkness.  However, Joel also says that God calls us to return to Him with all of our heart.  If we respond to the dark times by turning to God, by gathering together and confessing our sins, He will relent and lift the judgement He was preparing to pour out upon us.  Instead of pouring out death and destruction upon us, God will pour out His Spirit.  The day of the Lord will still come, we will see the death and destruction, but those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

I am convinced that we live in a time when Joel’s message should ring fresh in our ears.  Look at what is happening around us.  Gather and pray, fast and mourn, the day of the Lord is near.  We can either call on His name and be saved, or suffer the dire things which He has in store for those who refuse to heed His warnings.  But God will pour out His Spirit upon those who turn to Him.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.