“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NIV)

These verses in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 are God’s answer to Solomon’s prayer from 2 Chronicles 6:22-36. When we read Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:22-36, there’ are several ‘s something we should note. Every situation Solomon describes in his prayer is a result of sin. Even the oath in 2 Chronicles 6:22 is because of sin. That’s to say, Israel’s sin.

What’s curious about Solomon’s prayer and the Lord’s response is that there are problems in the land because of God’s people who are “called by [his] name.” The issues in the land: defeat by their enemies, drought, famine, plague, and captivity, are because Israel sinned.

Consider our world today. Who are the people that are called by God’s name today? Is it still Israel? No, it’s not. Those who call themselves “Christian” are God’s children. While there still is a place for Israel today, the people of Israel have not yet taken their place in God’s kingdom. Therefore, when we consider God’s reply to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14, Christians are the ones who must humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. Only then will God heal the land.

As we consider Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6 and the reason behind the problems in the land, the sin of God’s chosen people. We, as Christians, should humble ourselves. Too often, we point at the people of the world- Unbelievers, and say they are to blame. Brother and sisters, when we think this way, we are in error because God is looking to us to turn from our ways so he can heal our land.

As I said the other day, we don’t need to focus on the world’s sins. Focusing on sin distracts us from what’s important. This is the good news. Still, we, not the world, must humble ourselves before the Lord, pray, seek his face, and turn from our wicked ways. Only then will God heal our land.

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