“Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13)

The word translated “repentance” literally means to turn around. Stop going in the direction that you are headed. Reverse your course. Turn.

What would motivate someone to make such a move?

Remember the words of this fiery preacher?

“Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire…He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Joel 2:13)

John the Baptist’s message makes it very clear that the motivation for repentance is the fear of the consequences.

“Turn or Burn.”

Your choice!

At one of our study sessions, we went around the room recalling the first time we made a commitment to follow Christ.

One young adult shared how her decision was made at the end of a dramatic presentation that aroused in her the fear of hellfire.

What choice did I have but to choose salvation?” she recalled with a laugh. “I wasn’t even 10 years old yet!”

Members of the group wanted to know if that decision “stuck.”

She laughed again: “Of course, not!”

The fear of hell got her attention enough to warrant making a decision for Christ.

But it was inadequate to keep her committed to Him for the rest of her life. By itself.

In later years, it was only when she discovered the love of the Father for her that she was able to (re) turn to the arms of Love.

Verses 1-11 of Joel 2 describe “the day of the Lord” as “a day of darkness and gloominess,”  “great and very terrible”, marked by “a flaming fire that devours the stubble.”

In other words, the consequences of making the wrong choice are very clearly outlined.

Nonetheless, the motivation for turning to God is not because of what He will do if you don’t turn to Him.

Rather, it is because of who He is that you would want to turn to Him.

Joel 2:13 echoes these words of David in Psalm 103:8-10:

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.”

When you reflect on these attributes of our loving Father in heaven, do you not find your heart being stirred up?

You want to turn to Him out of gratitude for who He is, not out of fear of what He will do to you. Amen?

No wonder the apostle Paul writes that “the goodness of God leads you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4)

May this be the motivation for our (re)-turning to God as well.