“‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord,
‘return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;’”
– Joel 2:12
Yet even now…. This is Who God is: the Creator of the universe Who yearns for His creatures to turn back to Him in faith and repentance. He is the God of “yet even now”. Our God is always ready for people to turn back to Him. Even when they’ve sinned horribly. Even when they’re embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated. Even if they think what they’ve done can’t be forgiven or shouldn’t be.
What Jesus did on the cross… taking the sins of the world upon Himself… bearing God’s righteous wrath for all our unrighteous thoughts, words, and actions… that’s what makes “yet even now” possible. As long as you, or another person, draws breath, God is ready to be gracious and merciful, for He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, justice, and holiness.
If you’re feeling broken today… guilty… embarrassed… hopeless… ashamed…. YET EVEN NOW! Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and return to God, genuinely repenting of whatever it is, confessing whatever must be confessed, and asking God to forgive you and restore you. He will!
If you’re worried about someone you care about, who’s deep in sin, guilt, rebellion, shame, or self-destruction… YET EVEN NOW! Pray for them. Plead with God for their salvation and restoration. Go to them in love and offer them good news. As long as they live, then yet even now, God is ready to forgive them, cleanse them, and love them in Christ Jesus. No matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what they’re tangled up in. Yet even now… #FollowJesus