WHEN DOES GOD SAY HE WILL HEAL OUR LAND?

SCRIPTURE:
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  
(Lamentations 3:40)

MEDITATION:
If we took a survey, more than likely most would agree 
that the people of the world are not being drawn toward God, 
but in fact are being lured by the things of the world.

Consider God as a magnet on one side 
and the world (Satan’s domain) as a magnet on the other side.
Whenever we leave the midpoint between the two, 
our attraction to the closest one gets stronger.
If we are moving toward God, then we gain a desire to get closer to Him.
On the other hand, if we are moving toward the world, 
then we find ourselves on a slippery slope toward destruction. 

Our modern philosophy of self-reliance and self-sufficiency 
has caused many to believe that they can do just fine without God. 
Some suggest that “Religion may be okay for certain emotional 
people, but nothing beats a man who believes in himself.” 

How has that worked out for our world?
This self-confident generation has produced more alcoholics, more dope 
addicts, more criminals, more wars, more broken homes, more assaults, 
more embezzlements, more murders, and more suicides than any other 
generation that ever lived. 

We need to put less confidence in ourselves 
and develop more trust and faith in God.
God wants our dependence and not our independence.

During bad times, many people like to point to the following scripture: 
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. 
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

There are some important things to consider in this scripture:
This is not a plea for a revival of the unsaved, He is talking to believers.
God is speaking to ‘His people’ – ‘those who are called by His name’.
Those who claim to have a faith in God and are committed fully to Him.
These are the ones He says should ‘humble themselves’.

There is a danger of believers sometimes becoming so proud of their faith  
that they justify their actions (or inactions) which are displeasing to God.
We have to guard against developing 
an arrogant attitude that we are better than others.
We are not – we are all sinners, but true believers have chosen 
to place their faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

God tells all believers to ‘pray’ and ‘seek His face’.
We need to pray for others, but we need to also pray for ourselves.
Believers need to ask for God’s guidance 
to help them ‘turn from their wicked ways’. 

It is easy to pray outwardly for the sins of others, but a greater challenge 
to admit that we have sins in our own lives, and to pray for forgiveness.
God says that he will ‘hear from Heaven and forgive the sins’ of believers.
Then, and only then, He will intervene and ‘heal our land’.

It is time for all believers to take stock 
of their failures, blunders, and costly mistakes.
If we expect God to heal our land, it is up to the people of faith to repent and
rededicate their lives, and not a result of lost people praying and being saved.
God promises to heal our land when ‘believers’ respond appropriately.

ACTION:
Have you taken stock of your faith lately?
How does your faith today 
compare with the faith you had when you when you were first saved?
Do you still have the same zest and enthusiasm for God that you once had?
Or, have you allowed the ‘ways of the world’ 
to numb your desires to know Him better?
How much time do you spend with Him in prayer, 
bible reading, and worshiping with other believers?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, as I examine my heart, I see so much of selfishness 
there.  I acknowledge my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. Develop 
a humble heart in me so that I will pray, return to you, and turn from 
my wicked ways, so that You will heal our land. I place my confidence 
in You and not in myself.”