"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm
my great army that I sent among you." (Joel 2 :25)
Why "Locust" as an example of damage in your life... Why did God choose this particular metaphore?
Well...
- You have no hand in bringing it in...never your fault!
- You have no means to take it away... nothing to do!
- Attacks your plants.. destroying your harvest.
- Usually it attacks in "groups"..
It's never the Farmer's fault that locust swarms attack his plants! There is nothing he can do to prevent these massively damaging insects from attacking! In the very same way, a lot of the things that are damaging your life, or once damaged it, were never your fault. A consequence of a choice that you yourself did not choose: a family that is broken? poor? unstable? Parents that are uncompassionate? A hard boss at work? a difficult mate? a disease?
When Locust attacks, you have nothing to do! Nothing at hand that can prevent it, or drive it away. Even if such means exist now, they were not existing back at these times when Joel was writing his book. God wanted to tell them "I know you have nothing at hand to do to help!!". I know you've nothing to do to prevent them from eating your harvest. That's why you need external force to drive them away..."
Locust attacks your plants... your farm... the thing that you placed your effort in, invested your time at and the thing that you expect a harvest out of it. Things you expect to be a source of joy in your life, things you supposed will fill your hunger and empty stomach.. That's why it is disappointing when attacked! and God understands how frustrated you feel watching your crops being eating and you standing hands folded!
Locust attacks in "swarms".. and problems usually don't come alone! :)
I am talking about this moment when you feel you've hit the bottom in every aspect: Work, Socially, Spiritally all together. And you feel you have nothing to do ... all your crops are being eaten! And God gave this example to Joel, to say "I know what you're passing through" :)
- When God tries to take away the locust... accept it:
Don't moan, but know the mighty hands of God. You might feel "What are you talking about??!!! nobody falls in love with locust that is eating his crops!!" But sometimes we get so acustomed to having the locust in our lives, that we start complaining when God tries to take it away. Maybe it's an abusive relationship that you've been in, yet you love him/her regardless of all the harm he/she is doing to you. A demanding friend that you are doing everything to please, and wondering where is God when things start going wrong with him/her. Maybe it's a job that is burning you up, yet you start yelling at God when he makes your boss fires you! Pay attention to him and know his plan: He's trying to take away the locust!!! We all want the harvest, we love to hear that "God will repay us", but are we ready for "kicking off" the locust?!
- When God tries to take away the locust...know it:
Know deep inside that you will no longer have this thing eating your efforts... and be glad and start rejoicing, for a new age is about to come.. The age of repaying.
The locust will have to go away for the crops to norish again, and for harvest to come. Do not expect God to repay you for what the locust have eaten, while the locust remains there! locust has to be taken away first.....
Then you'll start experiencing God's repay for the years the locust have eaten :)
This much I was taught from locust :)
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm
my great army that I sent among you." (Joel 2 :25)
Why "Locust" as an example of damage in your life... Why did God choose this particular metaphore?
Well...
- You have no hand in bringing it in...never your fault!
- You have no means to take it away... nothing to do!
- Attacks your plants.. destroying your harvest.
- Usually it attacks in "groups"..
It's never the Farmer's fault that locust swarms attack his plants! There is nothing he can do to prevent these massively damaging insects from attacking! In the very same way, a lot of the things that are damaging your life, or once damaged it, were never your fault. A consequence of a choice that you yourself did not choose: a family that is broken? poor? unstable? Parents that are uncompassionate? A hard boss at work? a difficult mate? a disease?
When Locust attacks, you have nothing to do! Nothing at hand that can prevent it, or drive it away. Even if such means exist now, they were not existing back at these times when Joel was writing his book. God wanted to tell them "I know you have nothing at hand to do to help!!". I know you've nothing to do to prevent them from eating your harvest. That's why you need external force to drive them away..."
Locust attacks your plants... your farm... the thing that you placed your effort in, invested your time at and the thing that you expect a harvest out of it. Things you expect to be a source of joy in your life, things you supposed will fill your hunger and empty stomach.. That's why it is disappointing when attacked! and God understands how frustrated you feel watching your crops being eating and you standing hands folded!
Locust attacks in "swarms".. and problems usually don't come alone! :)
I am talking about this moment when you feel you've hit the bottom in every aspect: Work, Socially, Spiritally all together. And you feel you have nothing to do ... all your crops are being eaten! And God gave this example to Joel, to say "I know what you're passing through" :)
- When God tries to take away the locust... accept it:
Don't moan, but know the mighty hands of God. You might feel "What are you talking about??!!! nobody falls in love with locust that is eating his crops!!" But sometimes we get so acustomed to having the locust in our lives, that we start complaining when God tries to take it away. Maybe it's an abusive relationship that you've been in, yet you love him/her regardless of all the harm he/she is doing to you. A demanding friend that you are doing everything to please, and wondering where is God when things start going wrong with him/her. Maybe it's a job that is burning you up, yet you start yelling at God when he makes your boss fires you! Pay attention to him and know his plan: He's trying to take away the locust!!! We all want the harvest, we love to hear that "God will repay us", but are we ready for "kicking off" the locust?!
- When God tries to take away the locust...know it:
Know deep inside that you will no longer have this thing eating your efforts... and be glad and start rejoicing, for a new age is about to come.. The age of repaying.
The locust will have to go away for the crops to norish again, and for harvest to come. Do not expect God to repay you for what the locust have eaten, while the locust remains there! locust has to be taken away first.....
Then you'll start experiencing God's repay for the years the locust have eaten :)
This much I was taught from locust :)
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