Return to Me

One of my favorite sayings is when the Lord asks us to return to Him. How often do you really turn your heart to the Lord and do exactly as He would have you to do?

Lectio

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; 16 gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ” 18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. 19 The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Meditatio: God is saying He wants his people to come back to Him. He wants us to call on Him in every situation; but to also be contrite about failures. He doesn't want just part of us, He wants all of us. Help us to let go of our past hurts and grow to the person you want us to become.

Oratio: Father forgive us that we have not turned to you; and that when we turned away, forgive our pride that hasn't allowed for us to return to you. Give us the ability to see how much we need you, and that in order to have you, we must give up those things that keep us from you.

Comtemplatio: Where is God calling you back from? Are you willing to give up those things in order to follow Him and to go wherever he is willing you to go?