Open Your Heart To New Life

by Eric Elkin

“Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.”

— Joel 2:12ff

"Rend your hearts and not your clothing." My colleague wanted those words spoken in the sanctuary as we prepared to enter Lent. So we included them in our Wednesday prayer service. This service is our first step in returning to in-person worship.

Even in preparing for the service, my colleague would sigh every time we read the words, "rend your hearts and not your clothing." She loved the imagery and the poetic sound of the phrase. I do too, but "rend" is not really a word we use all that often. I doubt many people give much thought to what the phrase is actually communicating.

On the other hand, I drive by the old South St. Paul, MN stockyards every time I go to the church. While the area does not process meat like it once did, they still render animals in this district. I live across the river. About once a month, from my house, we catch a whiff of the process. It's not a pretty nor fragrant odor.

The image which causes my colleague to sigh has a mixture of tenderness and violence to it. It makes sense if you know Joel's world. He is writing to people who feel they are living in the worst of times. So bad, they think the end is near.

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road…Unless you fail to make the turn.”

— Helen Keller

As our prayer service drew closer, I found it funny to focus on this reading. Someone in the congregation sent me an email earlier in the week. It turns our Mike Lindell, of My Pillow fame, is telling people we are living in the end times. The signs are all around. Our world could not be any worse than it is right now.

The cynical side of me thought it was a lousy publicity campaign. If the world is ending, the last thing I need is a pillow. The more honest reaction was the one I shared with the sender of the email. Every year of my life, someone has been telling me we are living in the end times. The signs are all around. It could not get any worse.

I beg to differ. Unfortunately, things always could get a lot worse. One would think Mike Lindell would understand that unless he has no memory. Twelve years ago, Lindell spent two straight weeks without sleep while on a crack cocaine binge. He lost his wife, his house and nearly lost his business. That experience seems closer to the end than where he is today.

While I don't know Lindell or his complete story, it would appear his turn around was divine intervention. The healing process began when he stopped tearing his life apart and opened his heart to the love of God. When he rendered his heart, he found a God who is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive.

Let me be clear, we are not living in the end times. These are not the end times simply because there is no end in God. Each ending becomes a new beginning in Christ. Those things which hold us down in hopelessness are not creations of God, nor do they have power over God. When we stop tearing clothes and open hearts, we begin to see God more clearly. We are opening ourselves to receive new life.

Click to read Joel 2: 12-17

Reflection Questions:

Have you ever thought we were living in the end times? If so, why? What were the signs?
If you never thought we were in the end times, what helped you see good through the bad?
How often do you open your heart to God? And, what does this look like?
What can you do today to open your heart?

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