"If My People...."

posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
We go to the polls a week from today in what may very well be the largest voter turnout in history to elect our next president. I'm not going to stump for one or the other here, but there is something every one of us should be doing, regardless of for whom we plan to vote on November 4.

We should be praying for our country like we have never prayed before. It's a pivotal time, in the midst of more than one global crisis.

The verse that just keeps ringing in my spirit is 2 Chronicles 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (NIV)

Surely I am not the only person who has noticed who are being called to humble themselves and seek God and repent...those called by His name.

Not the folks with the humanistic world view. Not the people pushing agendas contrary to what the Word teaches. Not the folks living with no fear of God in their lifestyles. Not the celebrities who declare their anti-God opinions in a public forum. Not even the people who are ranting about one political candidate or another.

The people who are called to humility and repentance are God's people. Those who are known by His name...and remember, it wasn't the early Christians who called themselves that name; it was the unbelievers in Antioch. And it was meant as a term of derision. Probably the closest equivalent of what that entailed today would be 'Jesus Freak'.

It's me. And, if you are one called by His name, it's you.

If we wring our hands, wanting folks who are living with ungodly agendas to repent to save the nation, we have missed it. If we pray that God will turn the hearts of those folks to him, we're closer, but we've still missed it.

We've got to make it just 'Between God and me'.

What good thing have I neglected to do? Where have I wandered from His guidance to my own agenda? Where have I deceived myself into thinking something is ok, when I really know it quenches and grieves the Spirit in me at the very least, or blatantly breaks a commandment at the worst?

All of those are 'wicked ways'...whenever I serve self over God, I'm guilty. And I need to repent.

If all those across our nation who follow Christ would do such self examination, what would God do?

...hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land...

It's not up to non-Christian folks to make a difference; it's up to us.

It's time to pray.