“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

—Joel 2:12–13 (ESV)

Begin today by reading Joel 2:12–17. This passage sounds an urgent alarm. It is a gracious summons to return to the Lord in the midst of crisis.

Judah was facing devastation. A locust plague had stripped the land bare. It destroyed crops, threatened livelihoods, and even cut off the offerings brought to the temple. The loss was material, spiritual, and communal. And all of this came because of Judah’s disobedience. Yet in the middle of judgment, God’s voice breaks through with mercy: “Yet even now.” Even now, return.

But this return was not to be shallow or performative. God was not impressed by torn garments or outward displays of grief. He desired something far deeper: “Rend your hearts and not your garments.” God was calling these people to turn their whole selves back toward him.

Prayer and fasting stand at the center of this call. God commands the people to consecrate a fast and gather in solemn assembly. And there was an immediacy to this command. Crisis demanded urgency, and urgency demanded response. 

It is hard to deny that we, too, live in a season of spiritual crisis. Our culture is saturated with distraction, immorality, and noise. Even within the church, spiritual apathy can quietly take root. The hunger for God is lost because so many experience a crisis of faith brought on by the temptations that are directly before them.

Are you perhaps walking right now through a personal season of apathy, loss, or longing? Is there some part of your life that feels out of step with God’s will for your life? A hunger for God recognizes the moment and responds with urgency. It refuses delay. It honestly mourns sin and urgently pleads for renewal and salvation.

Now consider Psalm 63:1–8.

David writes this psalm from the wilderness. This was a place of deprivation, danger, and uncertainty. Yet his greatest hunger is not for safety or relief, but for God himself: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Verse 1). Physical barrenness becomes a mirror of spiritual longing, and desperation can clarify desire. When lesser comforts fall away, the soul remembers what it truly needs.

Notice that David does not merely ask God to fix his circumstances. He seeks God’s presence. He remembers worship in the sanctuary and declares that God’s steadfast love is better than life itself. Even in the wilderness, praise rises. Hunger does not silence worship; it fuels it.

As the psalm continues, David’s longing turns to satisfaction: “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (Verse 5). This is the paradox of spiritual hunger. When we seek God earnestly, he meets us—not always by removing the wilderness, but by sustaining us within it. God becomes our portion, our joy, and our strength.

Finally, David rests in confidence: “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (Verse 8). This is the destination of true repentance and true spiritual hunger. We find ourselves no longer striving alone but clinging to the God who holds us fast.

A hunger that is urgent and earnest does not wait for the “right moment” or better circumstances. It responds to God’s invitation with humility, honesty, and action. Whether in a season of crisis like Judah, or a wilderness moment like David’s, Scripture reminds us that God is near to those who return with their whole hearts. Whenever you find yourself in a moment of crisis, apathy, or longing, let your hunger for something better drive you to God first and foremost.

Where do you sense God calling you to return to him with greater urgency or sincerity? What distractions, comforts, habits, or sins may be dulling your spiritual hunger for God? How can your prayers, fasting, or intentional seeking become more urgent and earnest in your walk with God?

Prayer:

“Lord, I hear your call to return, and I come to you with an open and honest heart. Awaken in me a deep hunger for your presence and a renewed disdain for sin. May I have an urgent and earnest desire to cling to you, trusting that you alone can fully satisfy my soul.”

Daily Prayer Points:

Self-Reflection

• Pray that you would be amazed today that in Jesus, there is steadfast love and everlasting redemption.

• Ask God to help you live humbly and missionally in your community. Pray that God will give you opportunities to clearly articulate the gospel to those who do not know Jesus. Pray for specific people for whom you are burdened to share the gospel.

Our Congregation

• Pray for the people of Bethel Church who are struggling with mental health and have endured many difficulties over the past months. Pray that the Lord would be near to them and bring health, comfort, and stability.

Families in our Congregation

• Pray for the families of Bethel Church who are experiencing illness through cancer, disease, chronic pain, and physical ailments. Pray for healing and rest.

• Pray for the families of Bethel Church that are facing unemployment and are seeking jobs. Pray that God would direct them to the right job and that they would know where to look.

Bethel Ministries

• Pray for our Men’s Ministry and Pastor Nathan Napier. Pray that the men in our church would challenge each other to grow in Christ-likeness and become godly servant- leaders in their homes, workplaces, and community. 

• Prayer for Bethel’s STEPS ministry, Pastor Stephen Ganschow, and the STEPS leaders. Pray that this ministry would be a place of life changing care, healing, connection, and spiritual victory for all who attend.

The World

• Pray for God's protection over all those affected by the war in Ukraine. Pray for God to use the church in this region to powerfully convey the hope and salvation that can be found in Christ. 

• Pray for those affected by the crisis in Israel and Palestine. Pray over the Middle East, especially that the gospel be boldly proclaimed even amid great spiritual darkness.

Ministry Partners 

• Pray for Steve & Cheryl Winget as they shepherd missionary families in Europe and travel to teach various workshops throughout 2026. 

• Pray for Dick and Kathy Page as they lead SOAR International Ministries in Alaska. Pray for their outreach programs in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Abkhazia. 

• Pray for Multiplication Network as they train national Christians around the world to plant verifiable healthy new churches in their communities.

For Families:

Talk about what it means to truly want God. Share ways God may be inviting your family to come back to him or grow closer to him. Help your kids understand that loving God means choosing to spend time with him. Together, make a simple commitment to set aside time each week to pray and praise God for who he is, growing your relationship with him as a family.