IF -My- People...

"if then My people, upon whom My name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land" -2 Chronicles 7.14

"IF"- I've talked about this little and deeply life-changing term used all through God's Word for many years. It's a hinge pin on what follows and "if" and in scripture the emphasis is often a positive but at times is contrasted with the negative "if not"... but it is indeed a fulcrum upon which in essence is "you do or you do not"!

"MY people"- Of course the context is the actual Israel of God, people, not merely a land with borders. What it doesn't mean here in the original but what I think -can-... -may- be any individual and then collective of people who truly know, respect and FOLLOW the One True God. Note, there is inclusion and exclusion in this. What is is not about is merely national boundaries.

"upon whom MY Name has been pronounced"- We may be called by His Name, but in the end "there is no other name under heaven among people by which we must be saved" but that of the crucified, risen Jesus Christ. But wait... this gets deeper than merely saving relationship with Him:

"humble themselves"- We can quote this scripture until the literal "Day of the Lord" but without genuine humility in our hearts, minds, words and treatment of others it will accomplish nothing but our own condemnation.

"and pray"- Quoting the Bible isn't itself prayer though you may even read and quote prayers from both Testaments. The issue is DO you regularly speak with and LISTEN to the Lord and His Word with intent to honor and please HIM in all your ways and interaction with others?

"and seek My face"- Seeking God because He IS God and for a genuine, growing and deepening relationship with Him is not seeking Him only to meet your needs, get what you want or to curry favor with others. Please read this one more time!

"and turn from their evil ways"- The core of the term "repent" means to both re-think and re-do. It's about returning to God as God alone, to follow Jesus by turning away from anything God in His Word clearly defines as evil. Don't think merely because you're a professing Christian you're beyond thinking, speaking and doing evil for in this very comment by God to "His" people it's not only scripturally ignorant to think/say so but it's foolish and historically speaking, flat wrong.

"I will hear"- You may or may not know that when Jesus used the term we translate from New Testament Greek to "disciple" in English, that the core meaning includes being a LISTENER and LEARNER, that is, one who applies the teaching of the Master. It's about intent, being/becoming an intentional follower of the one we call Lord. When we are sincere He -hears- our repentance and turning away from sin, from our little thin "kingdom" to Him and His!

"from heaven"- God is in heaven but stoops to welcome and bless His true people -even prodigals, the backslidden who return to Him with honest hearts desiring change and to go His way.

"and pardon their sins"- ALLELUIA for God's grace, mercy, full pardon as we repent and surrender to Him and His Word applied in faith!

"and heal"- "I am the Lord Who heals you" will never not apply and regardless of the illness there is nothing more in need of healing than we and our sins, hard hearts and wayward ways that conflict with Him and His will. Healing IS available but even in this very text of scripture we see there are conditions -don't be deceived about that.

"their land"- Note, whatever land they are residing in (meaning "people" and yet I'd say actual "land" isn't a very long stretch also... see many places in the Old Testament to that affect). Yet again, the context is in the first place, true Israel of God who love, seek and follow Him as well as love their neighbor -and yes, even "enemies" as per Jesus' command.

I repeat- it's easy to quote God's Word -and another thing to apply it in one's daily life and choices. It is THIS we must never disconnect from our knowledge and sound interpretation of the Book of God!

And as always, thanks for stopping by :) -Glenn