Restoring The Years The Locusts Have Eaten

by Dennis Michelson
(Painesville, Ohio)

Joel 2:12-32

Expectations are resentments waiting to happen. We often get resentful because of dashed hopes and expectations. If you are not where you wanted to be in life right now, then rest assured that you are where you need to be.

Only God can mend a broken heart and life and make it better than it was before. You cannot rewrite the previous chapters of your life but you can let God write a whale of an ending! Such restoration comes when we note the following:

1. Repent (2:12-14)

Rend you heart and not merely your garments.

2. Regroup (2:15-17)

Gather with the people of God and for those asking "where is their God?" . . .He is to be found in the midst of the praises of His people.

3. Remove Reproach (2:18-20)

Humiliation should only be a brief stopping point enroute to humility. The only "stink" you need to raise is a sweet-smelling savor directly up to heaven.

4. Rejoice (2:21-24)

The same God who sends the former rain is the same One who sends the latter rain.

5. Restore (25a)

Repentance is an act but restoration is a process.

6. Recognition (2:25b-27)

Notice the work of the "great army." In sunshine or shadow, He careth for you. He mentions it twice - "My people shall never be ashamed."

7. Revival (2:28-31)

Have you noticed that revival often follows on the heels of trouble, tribulation and trials.

8. Remnant (2:32)

There is an interesting play on words in this verse. It begins with "whosoever shall call" and ends with "whom the LORD shall call." You may have temporarily forsaken the Lord but He has not forsaken you.

Conclusion: Someone once asked me "how long should we follow up on someone who has fallen away from the Lord?" My reply was "we follow up until they go up." No matter how bleak the field of your life looks after the locusts have seemingly destroyed everything - take heart - "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten."