Lenten Journey

I read a passage this morning from Joel and I thought it was the perfect piece to start the Lenten journey, encouraged and looking toward Easter. 

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. 

Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for the Lord, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly;

Gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber.

Between the porch and the alter let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, "Spare, O Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"      ~Joel 2:12-17