by Jenna Badeker

Joel 2:1-2

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.

It is close at hand— a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness.

Like dawn spreading across the mountains

a large and mighty army comes,

such as never was in ancient times, nor ever will be in ages to come.

Psalm 103:8-14

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,

and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Armies in Scripture have different effects on the reader. Sometimes they are a saving force, empowered by the Lord. Other times they decimate what’s in front of them. In Joel, we read of an army coming, but it is hardly “good news of great joy.” The Day of Lord is a dreaded threat as the people have strayed far from the Lord. This army is thought by some to be the swarms of locusts mentioned previously in Joel, while others think it is a force yet to come. Either way, it is dire.

What a juxtaposition with Psalm 108! Here, the same God sending warning of decimating the people is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” It seems like a contradiction. But He is slow to anger - not ‘never angry.’ He is a God of wrath AND a God of compassion and love. The Psalm soothes and balances the warning message of Joel: “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

What a different time in history we live in. I try to imagine hearing news from God that a great army is coming and feeling dread. In Lent, we practice a fast, the years of silence from God, and the longing for a Savior that his people felt for so long. In our “already, and not yet,” when we are told of an army, we have the gift of salvation in Christ enveloping us in protection and forgiveness and grace. It is an army that will fight for us, defend us, not leave us forsaken. 2 Corinthians reminds us that we are included in the righteousness of God, that “now is the time of God’s favor, the day of salvation.” What an incredible gift.

The army that comes to defend does not absolve us of all hardship. Paul goes on to caution and exhort the Corinthians to dedicate themselves as servants of God in all circumstances, including beatings and sleepless nights and the good and bad alike. It’s as if Paul is urging us to steady ourselves. In this song, that is the cry - “steady now, and steady on.” We press on into this season of darkness, toward the precious blood of Christ that gives us hope of a new season to come.

Jenna Badeker is a singer-songwriter from Nashville, TN. She writes and performs in the band Wild Harbors with her husband, Chris. She also leads musical worship, guest blogs for The Rabbit Room, teaches vocal lessons, and spends time delighting in her two pet bunnies. Find more of her work at www.wildharbors.com.

Lent Day 3