Heal Our Land
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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Chronicles 7:14
Growing up in the 60’s, it was a regular routine to turn on either ABC, NBC, or CBS for the half-hour of evening news. Do these names sound familiar? Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, Frank Reynolds, Howard K. Smith, Harry Reasoner, and Barbara Walters. Maybe there was more news on TV than I realized, but today, we have round-the-clock 24-hour news. Turn to CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC, and we get Breaking News.
As we turn on the 24-hour news these days, it is hard to avoid hearing about a nation in turmoil. Whether it is war, crime, global warming, the economy, politics, or whatever, as a nation, America is more in need of prayer than at any time in my lifetime. With the conflict between Israel and Hamas and Iran, Israel is in need of prayer.
The same was true with the nation of Israel in the 5 century B.C. when Ezra called the nation to prayer. Israel had moved farther and farther away from God. The nation was in turmoil. That is why God spoke to Ezra in 2 Chronicles 7:14 saying, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The hope of our nation and the hope for Israel lies in the power and faithfulness of God. He can be moved to show mercy to all of us when we call out to Him in prayer, turn from our sins, and acknowledge that His ways are better than our ways. As we do that, his promise is that He will heal our land.
Thought For Today: Take time to humble yourself before God and seek his face. Does the Lord reveal any sins that need confessing? Remember He is faithful to forgive (I John 1:9).
Today’s Prayer Focus: Take time to pray for peace for the nation of Israel and for the United States. Deo Volente.