Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

I think the Lord was tired of seeing outward prostrations without inward brokenness and that is why He called Israel on it by the prophet Joel.

I don't think He cares about sackcloth and ashes. That's for man to see. But the heart is for God and no man can see the heart but God. To me, that is what He is looking at. Whether we are "rending our hearts" or not.

Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

A777

I have thought about this in years past. I thought the Lord was impressing it on me. Time went on and I never did it.

Eventually I prayed "Lord if you want me to minister in sackcloth let me find some."

Now I dont remember if it was that exact day but within a few days I found some sackcloth (burlap)bags being sold. I bought it. Occasionaly I would wear it in prayer.

A few times I wore it out on the streets of Dayton Ohio where I was living. What struck me was that people hardly seemed to notice! I was witnessing and passing out tracts and only heard one comment something like "It must be one of those pro life people".

After that I still wore it in prayer at times but eventually lost it. This thread encourages me to pray about finding some more.

When I think of Sackcloth and Ashes, I think of the spirit of mourning, of embracing Godly sorrow unto the spirit of repentance. It is a full and complete turning back to God, a total re-devotion, a spiritual declaration to the Father of our true state,...corrupt and rebellious, and absolute need for His provision of mercies. It is humbling ones self, and ones corporate self..[ church body..].

Esther 4:3
"And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes."

There is pestilence in the land, and we are in the midst of a famine and drought, for the Hearing and doing of the Word. It does not fall upon the wicked of the World, or their leaders to repent, but upon us, the born again.

13. "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14.."If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Many are experiencing the spiritual equivalent to sackcloth and ashes looking upon their own backsliding and general lack of Love for God, the world, and His people.

This spirit of mourning with genuine faith in Jesus and His blood, is one God Honors. God help us.