God the Source of Life

God is the Source of all life. The Prophet Joel warns God’s people of a day when God responds to those who have rejected Him. He says that they are doomed to utter devastation. While this harsh punishment from God can be difficult to understand, we must remember that this is a consequence of people’s choice to to either accept or reject God. Those who reject God’s Presence reject the Source of life and choose to experience a world where the Source of life has been removed. Joel’s prophesies are fulfilled in Judah’s history, when there is no permanent access to food, either for humans or for animals. Storehouses are quickly depleted, leading to suffering and starvation. Lack of rain will results not only in lack of food, but also dry fields susceptible to danger. The withering away of natural resources deplete the hope of future life. Even seeds become shriveled up and useless. Left with nothing to salvage and no natural resources to drawn on, only then do God’s people cry out to God for help. Left with absolutely nothing, they realize that God is the source of everything that they need. This passage is a difficult one, but it is a crucial one which reveals our dependence on God for all things.

God reveals the people’s need for Him, and is gracious to respond to these needs through His Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God that through Him, we do not ever have to wonder if our eternal needs will be met. How does acknowledging God as the Source of Life affect our day-to-day perspective?