Heal Our Land!

" Graciously consider the prayer and supplication of  Your servant, O Lord my God, to hearken
   to the [loud] cry and prayer which he prays before you today."
                                                                                                      ( 1 Kings 8:28)



     In the book of Deuteronomy ( Chapter 28 ), God clearly outlines for His people that there are blessings given in exchange for obedience and curses imposed for disobedience.  Both the blessings and the curses can have an individual effect, as well as a corporate one.  It is always God's will for us to walk in His holy law and do things God's way that He may shower His people with all that is good. The same is true for our nation.

     As we see the instability, turmoil, and uncertainties in our nation escalating, we need to know that the answers we seek are found in prayer.  This Thursday, May 7th, is our National Day of Prayer and it is coinciding with a time that is critical for our country.  It is essential that the people of God be united in acknowledging God's dominion over our circumstances and give a voice to our desperate need for His presence in all matters.

     A corporate blessing for our nation is what we need.  Individual blessings can only extend so far in their sphere of influence and it is now time for us to seek God regarding this serious issue. We can look to the Israelites as our example.  When God instructed Israel, His covenant children, He called them collectively as a nation.  He said, "If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."  ( 2 Chronicles 7:14).

     Since we are now the covenant partners of Almighty God, we bear tremendous responsibility.  When we bend our knee to give Him honor, we recognize God's superiority over us and all that concerns us.  We worship, acknowledge, and stand in reverential awe of God's majesty and holiness.  We humble ourselves as those who are fully submitted to our King's authority. We bow beneath His mighty hand, as we seek and crave His all-consuming presence in our lives.

     In this passage in 2 Chronicles, the Hebrew word for pray means "to judge".  God is instructing us to pray a prayer of judgment over our own lives to discern what is in alignment with His Word and what is not.  This requires an exhaustive, truthful query into those murky places of compromise in our souls. This is not for the purpose of condemnation. Rather, it is an opportunity to invite God to be strong in those places where we fall short or miss the mark.  And, God is always faithful to do just that!

     The reason this requires prayer is because God wants us to connect with Him so that He can unleash His power through us.  This is the prayer that ushers us into the very presence of God.  He responds with an outpouring of His dunamis power that will forever change us, our families, our nation, and our world.

     Jesus models for us both a prayer for ourselves and a prayer extended to others.  Our personal prayer is found in the simple, yet profound, Lord's prayer.  He prayed: " Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed [kept holy] be Your Name.  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven
[ left, remitted, let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against] our debtors.  And lead [bring] us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. "  ( Matthew 6:9-13).

     Jesus also describes a graduate level prayer that is designed to be prayed for others.  He said,
" Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.'  And suppose
the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed.  I can't get up and give you anything.'  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need." ( Luke 11:5-8).

     Jesus concludes by saying:  " Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For, everyone who asks, receives; the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  ( Luke 11:9-10).

     When we are desperately willing to pray audacious prayers, God will respond and supply our needs according to His riches in glory.  When we come boldly into His throneroom of grace, He will never turn us away.  When we realize that of ourselves we have absolutely nothing to give to others, we will be empowered and given the provision we seek.  Prayer is the place that links our nothingness to His almightyness.

     There are so many people and situations in our world that need Jesus.  When we focus on the needs of others, we can never ask for too much.  John Newton ( who wrote the song, "Amazing Grace") said the following regarding prayer:
                                           " Thou art coming to a King
                                             Large petitions with thee bring
                                            For His grace and power are such
                                            That none can ask too much."

     God does business with those who mean business.  It will never be the lukewarm prayers that are answered in a mighty way.  There is no blessing without sacrifice.  There is no success without suffering.  Prayer is a discipline that must perservere, even when it seems like circumstances are getting worse.  Ultimately, each one of us must answer this question, " How big is God to me?"

     If we are to realize healing in this nation, it will begin with each of us.  God delights to give His children good gifts.  However, the gifts we receive will never outweigh the delight and fulfillment we receive from the Gift Giver.  Our journey with Him grows ever nearer as we worship, pray, and give thanks in our daily time with God. This is never more true than when we wait with the hope and expectation that brings thanksgiving even prior to receiving our answers.

     It is not always easy to sow good spiritual seeds, but it is always fun to reap the harvest from them.  If, as a nation, we sow to carnality, that is exactly what we will reap. If, on the other hand, we sow to the Spirit, we will reap abundant blessings from the Spirit.

     In the midst of the chaos and confusion in our nation, we are uniquely positioned to have great impact.  As we join together collectively, we will have an even bigger impact.  When we connect with God in prayer and agree with what His Word says, we may even be poised to be a part of the greatest revival this world has ever known!

This Thursday ( and always), please be strategic and pray! Perhaps, God will even heal our land!!!



"Nothing is more pleasing to our Father in heaven than direct, importunate, and perservering prayer."                                                                                                  Dwight L. Moody