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.
II Chronicles 7:14 ESV
As believers we walk by faith, and the promises of God are the definitive milestones of our walk. Without a doubt this is one of the most important promises in Scripture. As in all promises or covenants there is a “sacrifice” – in this case humility and prayer, and a “benefit.” Let’s unpack this a bit.
If “my people.” God is again acknowledging that we, His creations, are His people. In fact, He calls us by His name! “Humble themselves.” Oops. Our first stumbling block. Of all the sins that I commit daily, pride never has to share a place at the top of the list. To humble ourselves means that we must admit openly that we ourselves are helpless creatures that need a redeemer and a guide. In my book, In a Mirror Dimly I wrote about my feelings about this:
Hmmm. That’s disconcerting, because I somehow have always wanted to be a leader, not a follower. And I’m represented by sheep?!? Really! I think Ray Stedman may have said it best:
It occurs to me that if Jehovah is to be our shepherd, then we have to begin by recognizing that we are sheep. I don’t like that analogy, frankly, because I don’t like sheep. I come by my dislike honestly. I used to raise sheep. In high school I was in the 4-H club, and I had a herd of sheep and goats. Now goats I can abide, because they may be obnoxious, but at least they’re smart. Sheep are, beyond question, the most stupid animals on the face of the earth. They are dumb and they are dirty and they are timid and defenseless and helpless. Mine were always getting lost and hurt and snake-bitten. They literally do not know enough to come in out of the rain. I look back on my shepherding days with a great deal of disgust. Sheep are miserable creatures.[i]
Couldn’t we have been dogs following their master? Maybe Labrador Retrievers. They’re beautiful and they follow – most of the time. But sheep? Why sheep? I think I just answered my question.
“Humble themselves, and pray.” We do talk a lot about prayer, but here is the Lord our God talking about it. He’s inviting us to come to Him in prayer, to commune with Him. And finally, “Then I will hear from heaven…..and will heal their land.” Since the election season began I’ve heard a lot about how our country needs to be healed. And it’s right there in the promise. And oh, Lord, we do need healing!
Can we do it? Can we sacrifice enough of our ego, our hubris, our ongoing desire to control so that He will hear us?
Let’s give it a shot, shall we?!
[i] Ray Stedman, Authentic Christianity; https://www.raystedman.org/daily-devotions/psalms/no-want.
