2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
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.
When was the last time you called on the name of the Lord? Do you call Him when good things happen? Do you seek His face? Are you walking in His ways?
Ezra is the traditional author and it dates back to 430 BC. Ezra was a Priest of God Most High and is writing to Israel and Judah about unity of the nation. They have gone astray as a people and as a nation. When you stray from Truth, you lose your way and bad things happen. Sounds like our world of today. We have lost our way because we have wandered from God’s truth.
One thing I have heard is that, if you don’t know history, you will most likely repeat the same errors. The Bible is full of stories about people who have made bad choices and suffered the consequences. When they returned to God’s ways, He forgave them and returned to blessing them. When will we ever learn?
Yesterday, we saw a movie called War Room in which an older lady befriends a younger woman and shares her faith with this wife and mother. The focus of the story is how prayer can restore things that you thought were lost. It is hard to pray for someone and stay angry with them. If you pour out your heart to God on behalf of a person, your feelings for them begin to improve. The older lady begins to mentor the young wife in the art of Spiritual Warfare and how prayer changes things. It does! It removes anger and bitterness. Your heart goes out to the object of your prayer. Try it and see for yourself. You cannot stay angry with someone for whom your earnestly pray.
What would it look like if God were to heal your land? Is the inside of your house a war zone? Are you at odds with neighbors or friends or family or spouse? Have you tried Prayer? It works! Ezra tells us that God will hear our prayers from Heaven and He will forgive our sin and heal our land. Does your land need healing? Would you like peace in your home? What things about your spouse upset you the most? What if you were to pray for peace and blessing to cover them daily? Would your attitude toward them improve? If your attitude was that of peace, love and blessing, would they notice a change? So maybe, you could start by praying for yourself and your attitude. Ask God to change you. Ask Him to give you more patience and compassion. Whatever the need, just talk to Him. Prayer is not some special art you learn in Seminary. It is simply a conversation with God. He knows your thoughts. He just wants to hear your requests. So speak to the Lord. Ask Him to help you pray. Ask Him to change you and remove the things that displease Him and you. He is listening and will heal your land, your home, your family and you! Just ask Him!
Father, thank You that You are always listening for our prayers. Help us to come to you with our requests. Sometimes, we don’t even know for what we should pray but Your Spirit will intercede for us and give us what we need. Remind us that You are willing to forgive our sins and heal us from the consequences. You are our perfect Heavenly Father who dearly loves His children and wants what is best for us. Teach us Your ways that we might walk in them and know You better. Heal our land! In Your name we pray! Amen!