“So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster” (Joel 2:13, BSB).

I did a lesson on the first part of the verse (Lesson 81). Let’s focus on the second half this time. The first half is a command to return to the Lord. The second half tells them why they should.

Why do we want to be with the Lord? Why do we want to be on His side? Because He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in loving devotion, and relenting from sending disaster.

The Israelites earned disasters, but it wasn’t the time to turn to other gods. It was the time to repent and turn back because God was gracious and compassionate and slow to get angry, and abounding in loving devotion, and willing to relent and not send planned disasters.

He is gracious, giving us over and beyond what we need and certainly more than we deserve. He is compassionate. He understands our weakness. He is slow to get angry. God is love, and love is patient. He waits and hopes. He waits for us, hoping that we will turn back. He does all that He can to get us to turn to Him. He is abounding in loving devotion. That’s chesed—God’s mercy, God’s lovingkindness—that awesomeness of God that we don’t even have a word to define it. His love for His children is unchanging, unending. He’s devoted to us. He’s devoted to the well-being of Israel, His chosen. He’s willing to change His mind. No one outside of Himself can redirect God’s plans, but God Himself can change His mind.

We see it in response to the prayers of His people. His children pray, and He changes His mind. He never changes. His love is always steadfast. God is good. He’s all these things. Why wouldn’t we want Him to take charge of our lives? Why wouldn’t we want to be held by Him? Turn to God and rejoice. Rejoice in His gracious, compassionate, loving mercy.