August 5, Thursday Devotion

August 5, Thursday DevotionJoel 1:5-12
5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you wine-drinkers! All the grapes are ruined, and all your sweet wine is gone. 6 A vast army of locusts has invaded my land, a terrible army too numerous to count. Its teeth are like lions’ teeth,
its fangs like those of a lioness. 7 It has destroyed my grapevines and ruined my fig trees, stripping their bark and destroying it, leaving the branches white and bare.
8 Weep like a bride dressed in black, mourning the death of her husband. 9 For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of the Lord. So the priests are in mourning. The ministers of the Lord are weeping. 10 The fields are ruined, the land is stripped bare. The grain is destroyed, the grapes have shriveled, and the olive oil is gone.
11 Despair, all you farmers! Wail, all you vine growers! Weep, because the wheat and barley—all the crops of the field—are ruined. 12 The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees—all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them.

Quick Notes/Questions
The first real task for humanity was to be caretakers of God's creation.  By the time Joel is coming around prophesying we see that the land, the "Promised Land", is now becoming a wasteland.  Human beings adapt to the surroundings they are in.  Take a look of how we think of people from various geographical areas and the last part of verse 12 makes much sense, "And the people's joy has dried up with them."  It is possible that if you are feeling burnt out, stressed out, in a funk, etc. it is because the environment you are in is toxic to your mental, physical, and spiritual health.  Scripture says that our bodies are temples of God... so is your temple dried up?  If so, why do you think that is?  If not, what are ways you can help other temples?

Quick Prayer
God, refresh me with your eternal cleansing fountain. Amen.