This coming Wednesday we will be celebrating our nations 242nd birthday! I imagine that many of you, like me, are planning some sort of gathering with family and friends.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is the scripture Christians post all over social media on every patriotic holiday or national day of prayer. But, I have to ask myself if I'm really doing what it says.
Am I humbling myself? Honestly, I like to make my opinion known. I like to think my opinion is usually right. I like things to be done my way. I like to think my way of doing things is the right way. I get defensive when someone is critical of something I say or do. I have a long way to go in the humbling myself department.
Can you see how just this simple act of humbling ourselves would change the political discourse in our nation? What if all of us chose to humble ourselves before God - to submit our own way of thinking and doing things and chose to submit to His ways- WoW! We would probably have nationwide revival!
Am I praying? Specifically, am I praying for our nation? Am I praying for our nation's leaders, as God's Word commands, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with them? To be honest, I worry more about the state of our nation than I actually spend time praying for it. God forgive me and help me to pray for our nation and it's leaders more consistently.
Am I seeking God? Am I seeking Him as my utmost necessity? I do seek God. I do know that I am utterly dependent on Him and that I can't make it without Him. Besides that, I love Him. I love being in His presence and I cherish my time with Him. But, sometimes I let worthless things steal away the time I could spend seeking Him. Food is a necessity for life, yet I've never skipped a meal so I could look at Facebook or Instagram. But, I'm embarrassed to say that sometimes I've skimped on spending time with God because I'm distracted by social media, the "urgency" of my to-do list, or any of a myriad of other less worthwhile pursuits.
Am I turning from my wicked ways? That word wicked conjures up thoughts of all manner of atrocious sins. It's easy to ignore and excuse my inward attitudinal sins because they aren't immediately obvious to others. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, (see Matthew 5-7), taught us that it's the wrong heart attitudes that are critical. Since a recent study of the Sermon on the Mount with our church's small group, I've been a lot more aware of daily asking God to search my heart for attitudinal sins such as unforgiveness, faultfinding, offense, arrogance and pride.
My point? 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a great verse and ends with a wonderful promise. But everything hinges on that little two letter word that the verse begins with-IF. I've posted this verse on social media, I've written about this verse, I've AMENed this verse when I've heard it read aloud. But, I've not practiced it very well or done it very consistently. I want our land to be healed. God's Word says He will hear my prayers and heal our land IF I humble myself, pray, seek Him, and turn from my wicked ways. God help me to not be a hearer only, but a doer of this verse!
still following,
So true! Our country and our leaders are on my daily prayer list, but too often I just skim the surface in prayer on these items. I'm determined to spend more time on my knees in prayer for our nation this week.
ReplyDeleteI heard this sung during a gospel night at the Boston Pops. It was so beautiful and I've never forgotten it. Even though I had read it before it never stood out so much to me before I heard it sung that way. It was absolutely beautiful. It gave me goosebumps. It's been one of my very favorite ever since then. I try to keep in mind, when I am thinking about the state of our nation..and even our world...that we are just sojourners here on this earth.
ReplyDeleteHow true your post rings with me. My prayer is usually for Jesus to show me how I can improve, but I tend to just keep keeping on with how I am. So many ifs in life, but this one is a big one. Thanks for the reminder scripture.
ReplyDeletePeabea from Peabea Scribbles
IF...oh that I have the wisdom to follow those "ifs" and be walking in the will of God. I want to walk closely and obediently. Thank you for wonderful words for my mind and soul.
ReplyDelete~ linda @ Being Woven