Key Text: Joel 2:13 KJV - 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.

Genuine repentance begins from a broken heart and its resultant effect can be seen on the outside as a transformed life. The Lord is not moved by your prayer and fasting, without a broken heart. It is not the will of God that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The Lord will not despise a broken and a contrite heart. Anyone who hardens his heart against God is actually destroying his own soul.

Pharaoh repented many times and agreed to let Israel go but failed to fulfil his promise because of the hardness of his heart. King Saul made promises to stop pursuing David but he did not keep those promises because they did not come from a true heart. Ask God to tenderise your heart so that your sacrifices may be acceptable unto Him.

God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance of a man. He alone understands and knows when the deceitful and desperately wicked heart of man is broken. Broken things can become blessed things if you let Jesus do the mending. Is your heart tender and right with God? If not, cry out unto Jesus that He may work upon your heart for cleansing and sanctification. Or, are you struggling with sin, surrender your life to Jesus while you may because tomorrow may be too late.

Prayer: O Lord, touch my heart and make it tender enough for your use, in Jesus name. Amen.

Reflection: The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit - Psalm 34:18.