If My People Who Are Called by My Name

"If My people who are called by my name 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."

                                                                                                                     2 Chronicles 7:14

      It was several years ago I heard this scripture being used in a message. I was stationed at Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station on the island of Oahu and Chuck Colson was the invited speaker at our National Day of Prayer. He was speaking at our prayer breakfast. Governor Frank Fasi was the Mayor of Honolulu at the time and he was good friends with Chuck Colson. Mr. Colson was a dynamic speaker and I was very blessed to hear him speak in person. As you recall Mr. Colson was working for President Nixon and served time for his involvement in the Watergate Scandal. During his time in prison, Mr. Colson was saved and devoted the rest of his life to Prison Ministries and wrote the popular book "Knowing God". The message was centered around this passage of scripture and he often repeated the words repent, turn, our nation, healing and become again the nation it once was. It had me all fired up and every time I hear someone use this verse it brings back very special memories of that day. As Bargerhuff wrote in his book The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, “I placed my hopes on its truths because of the love I have for my country.”

     Now that I have read this chapter, I’ve come to realize that this verse has been taken out of historical context and I am blown away. I am blown away because of the men I’ve heard use this verse are Godly men who love the Lord. They have modeled and lived the life of a devoted disciple of Christ. Is it that they understand the meaning of the verse and just don’t explain it in full detail like the author does? Their heart is in the right place I’m sure, but it fits this moment in time where our nation is in rebellion, and if our nation is going to return to its greatness then we as a people need to repent and ask for forgiveness. It fits doesn’t it? This verse has special meaning to a special nation at a specific time.  The message is clear that that special nation was Israel not the United States, and it was a promise for Israel not us. If they strayed but humbled themselves in repentance He would forgive them (Israel). It was not meant for any other nation but Israel. He would not only forgive them of their sin, but restore their land that had been decimated by drought and locusts. The message is clear.

      Although I have a new appreciation for this verse, I also have a renewed sense of duty to pray for my country. The spiritual principles outlined by the author are still relevant for us today. To use this verse as a means of getting people to pray for spiritual revival in our country is to take the verse way out of context. It would be better if we prayed as Paul instructed us in 1Timothy 2:1-4. To pray for our leaders who are in high positions, that we may lead a life that is pleasing in the sight of our God, and that our desire would be that all people be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.