No Matter What the Debate Sounded Like, All Is Not Lost

Sometimes when we read the Bible we feel distant from it.

It seems like it's for someone else, like it doesn't really apply to us personally.

Tonight I was reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

You might not recognize  that reference, but you will when I tell you what it says,

"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 heal their land."

We hear this verse all the time.

It's all over facebook.

It's the Word of God and it's truth.

The thing is though before this particular truth can be realized in the land it has to realized individually.

We will never be a land of humble people turning from the wickedness of our ways until we are individuals turning from our wicked ways.

We won't be a forgiven nation of God's people until we become forgiven individuals.

2 Chronicles is a pretty sounding verse.

It gives us comfort and hope.

It also is a reminder that we can never get to a we, without an I.

We can never become a better nation until we become better individuals.

We have to apply the Word of God to our own heart first.

Next time you read or hear 2 Chronicles 7:14, make it personal, because it is you know.

It's got your name and my name written all over it.

If Kelly, whom is called by my name will humble herself and pray and seek my face and turn from her wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive her sin and I will heal her.

So, the starting place is to make it personal, "If I who am called by His name will humble myself and pray and seek his face and turn from my wicked ways, then he will hear from heaven and forgive my sin and heal me."

All the I's  will becomes we's and the individuals become a land.

That's the way it always is with God's Word.

We've got to apply it to ourselves first.

So when you are tempted to get all torn up about the way things are, when you want to start complaining about the candidates and the condition of the country, just back up a minute.

Remember, we can't do a thing about this country, until we fix ourselves.

We've got to remember that it can't always be the other guy who needs the fixing and besides that, we're all somebody else's  other guy, and that makes the problem us.

Fixing ourselves will eventually fix the country but it starts with us, spills over onto our family, seeps out from under the door and into the community, then across the county lines into the state, overflows the state lines and gets all over the country.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

It can only begin with me, when  I realize it can only come from Him.

Don't let today be a day of complaining and feeling hopeless, let it be a day when you decide to listen to that verse and take it to heart and make it personal.

If we open our eyes we will also be surprised about just how many people around us are already doing that.

Ezekiel 22 tells about how in the Old Testament God was going to bring judgement and he said in verse 30, he looked for one good man, just one good man would be enough to stay his hand of judgement.

"I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I  would not have to destroy it, but I found no one."

While that is a terribly sad verse, we can give thanks we don't live in a time like that.

This land is full of good men and women who stand in the gap, who stay the hand of God's judgement.

Think of all the good people you know.

Think of all the people who love God and make a difference every single day.

Don't give into the sense of hopelessness.

We are a people of hope.

Be different today.

Stand in the gap.