It all began when I decided to read Genesis a few months ago and this week I got to the book of Judges. My husband often says he’s surprised Hollywood hasn’t picked up the book of Judges for some of their movies. Just this morning I read about a left-handed man who killed a very obese king, so much so that the knife disappeared in all the fat in his belly. Yes, that’s a Bible story! However, there are so many amazing things to be learned from so many of these strange stories, even politics. For example, after the generation of Israelites that had left Egypt and experienced the 40 years in the wilderness had died, the new generation of God’s people forgot who God was. They went after other gods and did detestable things in God’s eyes. When their life was pretty miserable and they couldn’t take it anymore, the Israelites cried out to God who sent someone to rescue them. Thus the story of the left-handed man and the obese king. This pattern of leaving God, making a huge mess of their lives, crying out for help, and being rescued continues throughout the book.
As I read some of those words this morning I started thinking how wonderful it is that God listens to our cries for help and rescues us from our awful decisions. But as I started thinking deeper, I began to realize that even though that is true in my personal life, the story is also about a whole nation who would leave God until they realized life was so much better when they followed Him. At the end of these stories the Bible states how many years of peace Israel would experience as long as they were faithful to the God who had brought them out of miserable slavery.
Hmmm… could it be that here is the solution for the political confusion that is going on in our world at the moment? As I pondered this thought, another Bible verse came to my mind. “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.
If my people..pray…heal their land… these words have been heavy in mind ever since. Putting it all together, I believe this is what God wants from His people. More than anything, He wants us to come to Him even for a solution to the problems in our world. It seems that we can exercise liberally our freedom of speech by arguing our opinions until we loose sleep, friends, and even family, but nothing will truly change until we, as a people of God, humbly seek Him for help. The Bible is not saying that politicians need to pray, or others need to pray and turn from their wicked ways. No! God’s people, those who are called by His name, are the ones who need to pray and change. Humbly.
I haven’t read any news for a few weeks now, and my life has been much calmer because of it, but even without news, it’s easy to notice the political turmoil going around. I want to do my part in seeking the only One who can truly heal the land. Will you join me?
"...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
