National Day of Prayer

“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.”
 –II Chronicles 7:14 (ESV).
 

Today is National Day of Prayer.  May we focus our attention on praying earnestly and sincerely for our nation.  We stand in need of prayer.  We are beset with problems too ingrained and too complicated for human solutions.  Unless we seek God’s face and His mercy, there is no hope.  Note the requirements for forgiveness and healing for our land:  We as a people, beginning with each one individually, must (1) humble ourselves;  (2)  pray;  (3)  seek God’s face; (4) repent—turn from our wicked ways.  Only then will God hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our beloved land.  May today be a day of earnest, widespread intercession and turning to God.

 

Rev. Joe McKeever posted this timely message today on facebook.  It is a to-the-point and cryptic message of why prayer is so vitally important:

Today is a day of prayer across our land.

Whether any president gives his official endorsement to this event is completely irrelevant.  The Lord of the universe requires no certificate of authenticity from someone He created in order to feel good about Himself.  The insecurities are ours, not His.  Let us pray with confidence today because we are His children; let us pray with faith because He is alive; with gratitude because He is gracious, and with boldness because we are desperate.  Pray as if everything depends on the outcome.”

Almighty Father,

            We turn to You in humility and faith.  We ask forgiveness for our waywardness as a nation and as a people.  We repent of our pride that separates us from Your forgiveness and grace.  We repent of our sins that make us unclean and unworthy to come into Your holy presence.  We turn from our wicked ways and seek to walk in the light of Your truths. We recognize You as our only hope and the Way to Truth and Life.  We claim Your promises to heal our land if we will return to You.  Help our nation, Lord to return to righteousness and a right relationship with You.  Help us realize, Lord, that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).  Hear our earnest prayers for our nation, our leaders, lawmakers, military, and citizens.  May we return to You, and in returning see peace restored, faith strengthened, and a nation contrite and forgiven.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Requirements for Revival

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” –II Chronicles 7:14. (KJV)

Perhaps you, as I, memorized this verse a long time ago. Set in that definitive book of the Old Testament about revival, 2 Chronicles, this verse addresses God’s people, gives His four-fold requirements for revival, and His three-fold promises to send revival. Let us examine them:

The Requirements for Revival

1. Humble yourselves. In another place in the Bible we read, “Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18)
2. Pray. The Day of Pentecost was preceded by an earnest prayer vigil by gathered disciples, and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. Billy Sunday had a powerful prayer force behind his revival efforts, as does the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The great revival efforts, wherever they’ve occurred, have been “prayed down,” not “worked up.”
3. Seek God’s face. For revival, a church needs to get serious about seeking God. He wants us to experience revival. Are we ready for the changes such an awakening will bring?
4. Turn from wicked ways. Self-examination, confession, repentance—all are part of readying ourselves for revival.

God’s Promises for Revival

1. God will hear our prayers. Just as he was faithful to answer Solomon’s prayers in 2 Chronicles 6, so faithfully will He hear and answer our prayers today.
2. God will forgive our sins. “Forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” So advised Jesus when He gave us what we know as the Lord’s Prayer (Disciple’s Prayer). God specializes in forgiving sins. But first we must seek forgiveness, and forgive others who may have wronged us.
3. God will heal our land. Do we need God’s healing hand? Yes!

In closing, I quote the words of Wesley Duewel concerning 2 Chronicles 7:14: “God, at His own initiative, voluntarily gave us, His people, the covenant of revival in 2 Chronicles 7:14. He must be true to His covenant word, and He wants for us to fulfill our part.” God grant that we may, and that God will act according to His Word.