What Happened to the Leftovers?
Today's Verse:
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten. ~Joel 1:3-4
I enjoy eating. I especially enjoy home-cooked meals where a lot of extra food is left over. Good leftovers are comfort food that we can enjoy for another couple of days. In our devotion this morning, we read about a plague of locusts, cankerworms, palmerworms, and caterpillars that devastated the crops throughout the land of Israel. Whatever the palmerworm did not finish, the locust consumed. Whatever the locust did not finish, the cankerworm consumed. Whatever the cankerworm did not finish, the caterpillar consumed. Whatever was left over was a sobering reminder of the severity of the chastening that God sent upon Israel for its spiritual departure from God. The question swirling in many minds was, “What happened to the leftovers?”
We see the withered merchandise.
“Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.” Every possible food source had been devastated. It was a sobering message that their lives had withered up spiritually and were pining away. When we neglect the feeding and watering of our soul life from God’s Word, prayer, and diligent fellowship with Him, we will wither away in our fruit and results. What kind of merchandise is evident in your life?
We see the wasted moments.
Withered merchandise is a message that we have wasted our moments of opportunities. They had the opportunity to worship the Lord and to glorify Him. Instead, they continued to flagrantly worship dumb idols. They had the opportunity to repent of their sins, but they did not. They had opportunities to testify to the heathen nations around them of the greatness of God, but they did not. Wasted moments result in withered merchandise. What opportunities have slipped you by? What golden moments did you put off for another day? Are there opportunities that are left over?
We see the wicked morals.
The people had allowed their idolatrous and covetous morals to defile their souls and abandon their standards. They unashamedly became drunkards. They unashamedly worshiped their false gods. They unashamedly were guilty of immoral conduct. Lawlessness and unrepentant sinful behavior leads to chastening. Is there any righteousness that is left over?
We see a willing Master.
In spite of this devastating plague, God in His mercy sought to restore them. “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.” Leftovers meant that they could get their life back again. Failure never has to be permanent. See the leftovers as an opportunity for God to do something in you that will result in purpose, much fruit, and glory to His name!
There’s enough leftover that God can restore what was eaten up. Give your situation to God, humble yourself under His mighty hand, and He will exalt you in due time.
Have a revived God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Isaiah 36-41
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