A Call for Repentance - Day 10: Forgive me Lord for not praying and repenting for my country as I ought.
- araratchurch
- Aug 28, 2024
- 3 min read
“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.”
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NLT
After Solomon had finished the temple and the palace he had planned to build, the Lord appeared to him saying that He would accept sacrifices in that temple. However, along with telling Solomon of His approval concerning his work, the Lord indicated that there would be times that they would be punished because of their evil ways.
“Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you.”
2 Chronicles 7:12-13 NLT
In our opening scripture the Lord gave the prescription for what the people needed to do when they saw that their country was being punished because of sin.
As the Lord continued speaking to Solomon He also said what would happen if he or his descendants turned away from the Lord and did not repent.
““But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’ “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’””
2 Chronicles 7:19-22 NLT
With this in mind, is it any surprise to you that the United States has been experiencing seasons of trouble, chaos, and unrest?
Is it any wonder that the symbol of our economic preeminence in the world (the World Trade Center) was reduced to mountains of rubble by a terrorist attack in 2001?
Were you aware that the bridge in Baltimore that was destroyed in the wee hours of March 26 of this year, was named after Francis Scott Key, the author of the poem from which our “Star-Spangled Banner” was written?
The United States, though experiencing these, along with many other warnings (e.g., being part of a global pandemic, racial unrest and a questionable election, all happening in 2020), continues on a slide toward darkness.
Of course, it would be easy to have a sense of helplessness or hopelessness concerning the future of our country.
Additionally, that sense of despair can be augmented by the fact that we are operating, to a great extent, in denial concerning what is actually going on.
Friend, our country is in trouble! We have fallen far from our source of life and peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. The absolute only hope we have is to throw ourselves on the mercy of our God and King. Who knows but what He will yet one more time delay further destruction. And even if it be too late for that, we can be sure He will show mercy to the penitent souls.
“Then the glory of the God of Israel rose up from between the cherubim, where it had rested, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. And the Lord called to the man dressed in linen who was carrying the writer’s case. He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” Then I heard the Lord say to the other men, “Follow him through the city and kill everyone whose forehead is not marked. Show no mercy; have no pity!”
Ezekiel 9:3-5 NLT
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
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