\”MY PEOPLE\”

2Chronicles 7:13-14. NKJV.

¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 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 heal their land. 

In verse 13, \”My PEOPLE\” is used in reference to Israel; and in verse 14, \”My PEOPLE\” does not change, still referring to Israel. Therefore,God is saying here that if Israel His people will Humble themselves and Pray And Seek His Face Then Repent of their Wicked Ways, He will HEAL their land. God will deal the same way with any other nation, healing their land if national repentance takes place. He can also HEAL OUR INDIVIDUAL Lands when we do the same in our individual capacity.

But today, the only hope for national repentance is if repentance begins in the Church of God, for the world knows not God. Why has humanity long rejected the truth and wisdom of God? It is because of the arrogance of humanity. People have always wanted to find truth for themselves, just as when Adam reached out for the fruit of the garden which he was warned of the consequences. In the same way, modern people have tried to philosophise what in their thinking should be compared with God or perhaps replace God in their imagination. In 1 Corinthians 1:21 the bible says

\”In the wisdom of God the world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe\”. In Corinth, false teachers were denying the miraculous events of the Bible, saying that they cannot be true because they seem unreasonable. They wanted to view Christ as a good teacher rather than as God and Savior. People continually rejects the wisdom of God that is revealed in the scripture, they turn to their own brain instead of relying on the all-knowing, and all-powerful God from the old they back slide by turning to their own understanding.

To their mind they think God does not exist, it only exist in the imagery of things in abstract. Therefore you can not seek the face of non Being. The scripture says \”Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you on him while he is near” (Isiah 55:6). “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

The Lord is near you even in your lips says the scripture. God is everywhere you turn to but do you have the discerning spirit to comprehend His presence. He is a spirit and he that worships Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. You must be intentional and sensitive to the happenings around you. He said to His People (Israel) to be sensitive to their environment and decipher when God Himself has decided to deal with them despite they are being separated from other nations as God\’s own PEOPLE.

Verse 13 of our reading today projected God\’s warning to His people \”When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people\”. God Expected them to pray with purpose not chasing shadows and channel their prayers rightly with humility and be repentant of their Wicked Ways and turn back from their evil dealings He will surely heal them and turn things around, restore them back to glory and honour.

God is telling us the same thing Today to be purposeful when we want to draw close to Him in time of difficulties. Psalm 46:1 says \”God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble\”. Be rest assured that He is always present to help you.

PRAYERS

Dear Lord and Father, we are sorry for many ways we have done those things which have brought hardship to us. Please Father in your anger remember mercy and forgive us of all wrongs and heal our lands in Jesus name Amen.

REFLECTION

\”For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: \”I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate\” (1Corinthians 1:18)

BIBLE READING:- 2Chronicles 7

Thanks for Reading, May you be Blessed Blessing Onugha ❤️