Heal our land. . .

Today in my prayer time (Sunday, May 24), God led me to a passage that I have often prayed over the United States and Guatemala, 2 Chron. 7:14.

“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 will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

A beautiful prayer but I fear I have misused it too often, taken it out of the context of Scripture and directed it towards others, rather than myself.  Today I was convicted that this is directed toward ME, not those “out there” who do not know Christ, and who do not recognize their sin.  Toward me, who “proudly” wears the title of Christ-follower--yet fail to recognize my personal sin and the ways in which I contribute to communal sinfulness.

I realized:

The context:  This was written when Solomon was dedicating the temple.  It was the promise of God to His people at the time of one of their greatest victories—the completion of the house of God.  It was given as the “remedy” to difficult times.  Verse 13 is important to understand the passage correctly.  It says:  “When I shut heaven so there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send plague to my people. . .”

Application:  This fits our times better than at almost any time in my life.  

The drought we have experienced for years here in Guatemala, especially in the northern part of the country, and the hunger it has produced. The pandemic, which may be on the downturn in the US, but is still spiking here in Guatemala.  The “promise” of hordes of cicadas hatching, which cannot help but affect agriculture.  Yes, this promise of God fits our situation well.

The audience: 
“If my people, who are called by my name.”  
This is not for those outside the body of Christ.  It is directed toward me, telling me what I must do if I want to see God heal our land.  Too often I have prayed this over those who support abortion on demand, over prostitution and human trafficking, over those who would ignore God completely.  And I was wrong.  I am to claim and pray this verse over myself and the church.  And ask God to empower us not to change society, but to change ourselves, since this is what the verse commands us to do.

The mandate:

will humble themselves 

How many times have I thanked God that I am not like “those sinners out there?”  That I am chosen by Him, dedicated to Him, serving Him—doing the “right things.”  Have I asked Him to lead them to repentance, when I should be asking Him to reveal my sinfulness to me.

Has this attitude of “we Christians are better people than those who do not follow Christ invaded my subconscious and reflected itself in the way I have treated those outside the body?  What does this say about the true condition of my heart?  IT IS PRIDEFUL.  It gives me the glory, when the glory is due to Him who saved me without my efforts.  Who does not need me to reach the fallen world, but chooses to use me to reflect His love, His compassion, and yes, His justice, to those who are far from Him.

This realization of my own sinfulness and my desperate need for His forgiveness should humble me.  Should destroy the “us/them” mentality which has invaded the church and reminds me that: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

and pray

What does it mean to pray?  Is it doing devotions, Bible study, reciting a list of petitions?  

I am not a scholar or an expert on prayer, but from observing myself and others, I fear that we have made prayer a practice rather than a pleasure.  

Think of it.  When I pray I consciously enter the presence of the Lord God, Creator of the Universe; my Creator, my Redeemer and my Sanctifier.  The fact that I can do this is incredible; should fill me with awe and excitement. I fear too often I treat it as as chore.

And what does it mean for me to pray?  The definition I learned in my childhood, from the Catholic catechism we had to memorize, still is my favorite.  Prayer is “lifting the mind and heart to God.”  However I do that.  Simple as that.  No formula, no books, no rituals, sometimes no words.  A friend of mine talks about taking time to enjoy God.  To become aware of His presence which is always around me.  To step into a holy moment when I surrender my mind and heart to the One who created it so He can heal, renew, empower and direct it.

How often do I make it an exercise rather than a relationship?  I need to consider how I pray.

and seek my face

This one is harder for me to describe, since I am not a Bible scholar.  But Jesus gives me a hint of what this is when He tells me if I pray in His name, my prayers will be answered.  This is not tacking on “in the name of Jesus” at the beginning or end of my prayer, but sincerely, humbly and fearlessly asking Him to show me HIS will, not mine.  Then surrendering my heart to that will.  

Can I disagree with His will?  Absolutely.  I think Jesus did just that in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He also showed me what to do when I disagree—to share my heart and thoughts with God.  And rarely, as in the case of granting more life to Hezekiah, God will grant my wishes.  More often, though, He will change my heart to submit to His wisdom.

Do I really seek God’s face? 

And turn from their wicked ways

I often think of the great sins of abortion, adultery, violence, racism and hatred which plague our countries when I pray this.  Today I am convicted that these are not the things which need to change for my land to be healed, but my own sinfulness, which while less dramatic, is just as wicked.

What are the idols I hold?  What are those things I strive for in place of striving to bring God glory?  I have often said that the idols of the United States are pridefulness, comfort and convenience, and I still believe this is so.  I think most of our sins can fall under one of these three headings.

What this pandemic and the restrictions it has brought has revealed to me how strongly I cling to these idols myself.  Living on the mission field, they are not as obvious as they were when I was still in the States, but oh, they are there.

Here we are under extremely stringent restrictions.  As I write this, we are under 64 hours of lockdown here in Guatemala, where all businesses are closed, and we are forbidden to leave our homes.  And how I want to rebel, because I’m not sure it will do any good in halting the spread of Covid-19.  In fact, I fear it may worsen the situation when the country once again opens on Monday morning.  But, in reality, what am I basing my opinion on?  I am not a scientist.  I am not as statistician.  I am not even someone who understand systems and how they work.  

But, living in a free country, I have a RIGHT to my opinion and to express it.  Legally I do.  Biblically, I’m not so sure.  For me, sharing my analysis based on my relative ignorance, is exhibiting my pride in my insight and intelligence.  Better than publishing my own opinion, I need to accept those situations over which I really have no control, and ask God to inspire and direct those who do.  And my objection to masks is that they are uncomfortable and inconvenient.  See how it all ties together.

(BTW, this does not mean I have to blindly submit to those things I believe are harmful.  For example, the penalty for not wearing a mask in public here is $1000.  That does not mean I have to wear a mask if I truly believe it is harmful.  I can choose to stay home.  I can go out without a mask and be willing to pay the fine.  I still have freedom.  What I don’t have is freedom from consequences).

then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin 

When we recognize our own sin—current sin, daily sin, then He will forgive us and hear our cries for help.  I’m not talking here about the issue of forgiveness for salvation.  Many believe this is once and done and I can’t disagree.  I am talking about the daily need to hear Him say that even though I fall short way too often, He still loves me, accepts me, says that I am His. This is the daily repentance and forgiveness that brings me sanctification.

and will heal their land

Today I notice that He says “their land” not “my land.” I realized God does not value the US any more than He values Guatemala or Iran. He does not place a higher value on US citizens than He does the immigrant.  It is arrogance to claim we are a chosen country, that we are more pleasing to Him than others.  We cannot say all sin is equal and cling to this deception.

We, as those who bear His name, need to meet the conditions He sets if we want healing in our land. IF we humble ourselves, pray, turn from our wicked ways and seek his face, He will heal our land.  What this “healing” looks like, I can’t predict.  It will not necessarily be economic prosperity or a return to the normal we knew prior to the pandemic.  Whether we want to admit it our not, our societies have not been healthy.   I can’t demand that He heal our lands to conform with my idea of what a healthy society will look like—there’s that pride again.  I don’t know what living in a healed land involves or requires, but I know it will be good for He who will heal it is good.