12   “Yet even now,†declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
     with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13     and rend your hearts and not your garments.â€
     Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
     slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
14Â Â Â Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
     a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
15Â Â Â Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
     call a solemn assembly;
16Â Â Â Â Â gather the people.
     Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
     gather the children,
even nursing infants.
     Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17Â Â Â Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
     and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
     Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ â€
18Â Â Â Then the Lord became jealous for his land
and had pity on his people.
19Â Â Â The Lord answered and said to his people,
     “Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
     and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations. (ESV)
Preacher: Pastor Dan Antal