I love going to the movies. It’s not the popcorn or reclining seats that I love but the moment the lights dim. The big screen reads, “Coming Soon” or, “The Following Is a Preview.” For the next 30-90 seconds, I’m taken to a place of wonder, excitement, and heart-pumping action. It’s not the real movie, just a snippet of what’s to come.
In the following Bible verse, the prophet Joel gives his listeners a snippet of what is to come: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit” (Joel 2:28). After what? The Israelites had not followed God’s commands or believed his promises, and they were selfish. God was going to send a devastating swarm of locusts. But when the Israelites turned back to the Lord and repented, the merciful God gave them this reassuring promise of the Holy Spirit.
Locusts may not be swarming in our backyards, but we do have “stuff” swarming around in our heads that keeps our focus away from God and his will for us. Instead of loving him and our neighbors as ourselves, we bow down to the idol of self.
But Joel’s words ring true for us today. Like a cool glass of water on a hot day, the Holy Spirit is poured out on us at our baptisms. We are children of God. The words “given and poured out for you” in the Lord’s Supper assure us that because Jesus lived and died in our place, all our sins are forgiven. When we turn to God in repentance, he restores us.
