“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
*Disclaimer: this is more along the lines of a devotion. This is what’s been on my heart for weeks, so it’s a few weeks’ worth of material. Big thanks to Perry Noble and New Spring Church for giving me some of the words to describe my thoughts.
I’ve never really been one to watch the news. It always seemed like they only reported the bad things that were happening, and it’s really much more comfortable to just ignore it all. Lately however, I’ve been paying a bit more attention to the things going on in the world. And, still, it would be much more comfortable to ignore it.
Everyday there’s word of another senseless murder, rape, hate crime, riot, beheading, rumor of war, earthquake, famine, fire, flood, drought, etc. The list could go on for quite some time really. Our land: our cities, our states, our nation, our world; it’s sick, it needs healing.
If you’re like me, even if you know what’s happening, you have no idea how to help. Short of say, joining a group to go on an 11 month mission trip.
God isn’t caught off guard by this. It’s been happening in cycles since He created this world. So, way back when, He gave us the remedy. And, surprise: it doesn’t start with the secular world realizing what it’s doing wrong. It starts with us. “If my people, who are called by my name…” We have no right to be taken aback when sinners sin – that’s all they know how to do. But shame on us, shame on me, for placing the blame on them. I know better.
So, then, what are we to do? “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves…” See, this kind of goes back to what I was just saying. The responsibility lies with us. We need to humble ourselves and see us for who we really are. If you’re honest with yourself, and go through the 10 commandments, you’ll see that you’re guilty of breaking them all. Lying? Done it. Stealing? Once when I was like 5. Adultery? I’ve lusted – close enough. Idolatry? I serve the god of me (aka pride, aka idolatry). Murder? Well, Jesus said hate counts so – guilty. By my own admission, I’m a lying, thieving, adulterous, idolater and murderer at heart… and I’ve only made it through 5 of the major commandments. I realize that I have no room to judge anyone else simply because they sin differently than I do. It is by God’s grace and mercy that I have a relationship with Him, and my only goal in confronting someone’s sin is to get them in the mercy seat so they can experience the love of God like I have.
Realizing who we actually are is just the first step. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray…” I don’t know when the last time I really prayed was. Sure, I lift up my squad, and our race, and I definitely ask for help with raising funds, and I ask for answers. But it’s been an embarrassingly long time since I’ve talked with God, just because. No ulterior motive. No asking Him for favors. No begging for His forgiveness. Just spending time with my Father. It’s been way. too. long. And I imagine it’s the same for most Christians. We just don’t pray like we’re supposed to – that has to change.
So we’re recognizing who we are, we’re humbling ourselves, we’re praying. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face…” Do you know what seeking God’s face doesn’t look like? It doesn’t look like hate. It doesn’t look like gossip. It doesn’t look like slander. It doesn’t look like lust or lies or laziness. Seeking God’s face looks like praying, and studying His word, and fellowshipping, and worshiping, and choosing to love even when it’s hard.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…” Does this really need explaining? Hopefully during the recognizing ourselves and the seeking God’s face parts, we began to truly repent from our old ways.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sins, and I will HEAL THEIR LAND.”
My dear brothers and sisters, I have dropped the ball. I’ve been part of the problem – but no more. I want to see physical sickness healed, relationships restored, righteous governments put into place, and cities and communities brought together in community.
Here’s your call, and your challenge: will you join me in seeing this land healed?
