Dear brother and sisters in Christ
A family member recently shared these verses, and some of the insights that follow:
Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7 v 12 to 15, ESV)
This promise is for the people who are “called by my name” – it applies to those who take the name of the Lord – Christ-followers, not unbelievers. Even though there is a historic context here, it is also a model for us to follow, especially during these troubled times.
This year globally we are seeing drought, locust plagues and pestilence sweeping over entire nations, and in these verse God promises “if you do four things, I will do three things…” God is speaking to believers who can intercede on behalf of their nation.
COVID-19 is an unusual virus – it appears to largely spare innocent children, so we wonder if there is an element of God’s judgment here? Has God finally reached His limit with man’s pride, corruption, destruction of human life, immorality, and mocking His name and His people?
If He has, there is a remedy that he describes in his Word – the passage I have quoted above. The remedy requires Christians who believe in His name to mobilise – to change their hearts and their thoughts and their actions on behalf of their nation.
I believe that repentance starts with the household of God, and as God’s people we are – especially during this time of crisis – to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek His face, and to turn from all and every sin.
THEN – if we do this – we can expect God to hear from heaven, to forgive our sins, and to heal our land of Australia, and – I believe – other lands as well, as we intercede for the nations of the world.
What do you think? Do you agree? If so, how can quickly we put this into action?
Blessings in Christ, Adrian.