Tattered Clothes and Humbled Hearts

“Rip your heart to pieces [in sorrow and contrition] and not your garments.” (Joel 2:13 AMP)

I’ve never “rended” a garment out of sorrow or anguish as Joel describes. I have torn holes in knees and ripped seams out of pants but never on purpose.

As a little boy, patches on my one pair of jeans was a necessity, not a fashion statement. As a teenager, I raided my grandpa’s closet for his cast-off bib overalls to wear to school. That was the early ’70s fashion. But I didn’t have to rip them or add patches. They were already in tatters.

For a time, wearing shredded jeans was a fashion statement. Kids took their old jeans and tore them in strategic places. As the fashion trend grew, manufacturers pre-shredded their jeans for sale.

We don’t make public shows of contrition today rending garments as Joel described. Any such displays today are done to be fashionable. We do, however, like to beat ourselves up over stuff that happened years, even decades ago. That’s not exactly what Joel meant when he said to “Rip your heart to pieces in sorrow and contrition.”

God doesn’t want us to beat ourselves up any more than he wants us to rend our garments (actions done more to be trendy than contrite). He wants us to have a heart humble enough to receive him.

The heart-brokenness Joel described pictures a place where we never forget our great need for God. He is calling us back to himself with the promise of restoration and lovingkindness.

Portrait of my grandfather that I painted in 1978. My grandfather was a living example of the kind of humility to which Lent calls us. His humility was a daily product of faith and poverty.

This devotional was published March 5, 2025, as a part of the FBCJC (First Baptist Church Jefferson City) 2025 Lenten Devotional Series. See a link below to the series.*

Week of March 5– Ash Wednesday

THEME: Loved As We Are - Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

As we enter Lent, we are invited to come fully as we are—with our brokenness, joy, and doubts – and trust God loves us as we are and not as we should be because nobody is as they should be.

LENTEN MEMORY SCRIPTURE:

I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers.I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (CEB)

*These daily devotions are provided by First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri. Many are written by members and friends of First Baptist Church. If you have questions, please contact Azelene Evans, Theresa McClellan, Kristie McGonegal, Jeanie McGowan, or James Preston.