Rip Your Heart to Pieces

When I was a kid in elementary school, every Valentine's Day, the teacher would hand out blunt-edged scissors and give us kids each a sheet of construction paper, and we were given crayons to draw on that piece of paper a big Valentine heart, and then carefully cut it out along the edges to where we were holding a heart-shaped piece of paper. Then we would write sweetheart things on it and give it to the girl in class we had a crush on and vice versa. Hold on to that thought, friends, because later on we will do the same, but along different lines.

I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Joel. The Jews considered the book of Joel to be the oldest book addressed to Judah. Joel prophesied against the southern kingdom of Judah.

Joel's name means Jehovah is God, and the main theme which runs throughout Joel is that Jehovah is the Lord of Life. God was in control over the people's economic situation. Lord over all.

Lord over all material things. Lord over our heartstrings. But the Jews had forgotten that their prosperity came from God, so he sent a swarm of locusts to come over the land like a dark storm cloud and devour every green thing in its path along with their crops.

God was over all in their lives, and because of that, God expected his people to make him Lord over their all. God calls his people back to him in Joel chapter 2 verses 12 through 14. The living God of the Bible hasn't changed, friends.

We may have tried to change him, to update him, to fit our modern concepts about him, but you can't change God, friends. But if you will, he can change you. God was calling his rebellious people back into a love relationship with him that would require all they had of themselves.

We see this in verses 12 through 14. Therefore, also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, 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 of the evil, who knoweth if he will return, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat offering, and a drink offering, unto the Lord your God. I will stop there, friends.

I want us to focus our attention today on the words in verse 12, rend your heart, because those words in the Hebrew are very significant. It was customary for the Jews, when they got bad news, or were grieved, that they would tear their garment in contrition. We see this in Genesis, when Jacob got the news of Joseph being supposedly killed by a wild animal, because his brethren showed Jacob Joseph's coat with blood on it, which they'd put on there to deceive their father.

In Genesis 37, 34 reads, And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. So the imagery here in Joel is dramatic, in that God is saying to his backslidden people that they need to repent immediately, and turn back to him with all their heart. And the wording in the Hebrew is very significant here, friends.

Rend your heart is worded. Rip your heart in pieces. Rip your heart in pieces, in sorrow and contrition, and not your garments.

In other words, God is not looking for an outward show of emotion, but he is looking for an inward change of heart. He says to them, Now return and repent to the Lord your God, Lord over all, Lord of all. Give me all your heart.

Rip it to pieces immediately. Now this is where, friends, I'd like you to do an exercise when you get home. Get out a piece of paper, and a pair of scissors, and a pen, and draw a large heart on that paper, and then cut it out like a big valentine heart like you did when you were a kid.

Then I want you to get quiet before God in prayer, and I want you to write your sins on that paper heart. I want you to be honest before God, and ask him by his Holy Spirit to shine his searching spotlight on your life, and show you everything that comes between you and God, whether it is bitterness toward another. Then write the word bitterness on that paper heart.

If you have an unforgiving heart toward another, then write the word unforgiveness on that paper heart. If you struggle with lust and sexual sins, then write the word lust on that paper heart. If you've been guilty of a lying tongue, then write the word lying on that paper heart.

If you've been fornicating, then write the word fornication. You get the idea. The point is, I want you to fill up that big valentine heart with all the things that the Spirit of God brings to your mind that stand between you and a holy God.

The word money may have to be written down, or perhaps the word covetousness. Whatever you see as things that stand between you and God, write them on that paper heart. I want you to be serious about this, friends.

Some of you are serious about getting closer to God. Here is your opportunity. Get along with him.

Write those things down. Mourn them. Weep over them.

Our text says. Then I want you to take that paper heart and rip it to pieces as a symbol of your own heart being ripped to pieces in a return to a right relationship with your God. I know not all of you will take the time to do this, but the few of you who will, I can promise you this, friends.

Those who do will be richly rewarded in a closer walk with God. Who knows? Maybe he will leave a blessing behind him for your efforts. Rend your heart and not your garments, our text says.

Will you do it? God wants you all, friend. Jesus held nothing back at Calvary and shed his blood for us. How can we hold anything back from him? He wants all of you, friend.

Will you give it to him? Will you give your all to him? Let us pray.