i don't even want to watch the election results tonight. it fills me with dread, and maybe a little fear for the future of this country i currently call home.
but i also think: maybe, if it does get really bad here in the US, and people lose more and more of their money and privileges, it will force the American people to realize that electing a leader is not just a joke.
the ugly consequences of disregarding truth/virtue/morality and living just for ourselves may just force people to start thinking about REAL things, like 'is there a God?' and 'do i care about Him?' and 'what is the purpose of my life?'
maybe some will even start wondering if their everyday decisions and their everyday attitudes toward God have caused our country to be in the state it's in. instead of always pointing the finger and saying, 'they are messed up!', maybe they will look around at the spiritual illness in this land and realize we need a cure...
and where does that cure come from?
in the midst of dedicating the temple to God, Solomon heard these words from God:
"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." 2 Chronicles 7:14
this is a theme throughout the whole Bible: if people, who love to exalt themselves, and love to point the finger at everyone else's wrongdoings, and love to seek comfort above righteousness, would HUMBLE themselves and PRAY and SEEK God's face and TURN from their wicked ways, God will bring healing!
the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament was a roller-coaster of failing and repenting and sinning and repenting and rebelling and repenting. God remained the same. He was faithful. He was just. He was merciful.
so what is all this business of repentance?
what does the word even mean? it is literally a turning. it is something drastic and life-changing, not just a moment of sadness or shame.
it is like someone on a nature trail, who has been following a particular path, and then realizes as they look at the map that they are going the wrong way. the path they are on is actually going in the opposite direction of their intended destination! that is the moment for a decision: do i keep walking forward or do i turn around completely and go the other way? do i say, 'well, i've been going this way too long to change now,' or do i humble myself, admit the fact that i messed up, and turn around so that i can reach the right location?
repentance causes us to do some introspection and discover where we've fallen short. it comes with regret and remorse and humility and maybe some ugly crying.
but repentance doesn't just end there. it doesn't leave us groveling in the dirt at the end of the wrong path. NO! after we turn around, we WALK towards the correct destination! when we turn from our sins and turn to Jesus, it comes with rewards:
~God will hear us (2 Chronicles 7:14, 34:27)
~God will forgive our sins (2 Chronicles 7:14, 1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19, Isaiah 55:7, Acts 26:18, and more)
~God will cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19)
we will LIVE! (Ezekiel 18:21-23)
~God will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14, Leviticus 26:4)
~and more! joy! peace! contentment! the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us!
so as i reluctantly watch the election results, i pray for my country. i pray for repentance. and i also pray for God's mercy: that it won't have to get TOO bad before we admit our sins and turn from our wickedness.
thankfully, i know that i serve a merciful God who has been patient enough to bear with us this far...
"For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" Ezekiel 18:32
but i also think: maybe, if it does get really bad here in the US, and people lose more and more of their money and privileges, it will force the American people to realize that electing a leader is not just a joke.
the ugly consequences of disregarding truth/virtue/morality and living just for ourselves may just force people to start thinking about REAL things, like 'is there a God?' and 'do i care about Him?' and 'what is the purpose of my life?'
maybe some will even start wondering if their everyday decisions and their everyday attitudes toward God have caused our country to be in the state it's in. instead of always pointing the finger and saying, 'they are messed up!', maybe they will look around at the spiritual illness in this land and realize we need a cure...
and where does that cure come from?
in the midst of dedicating the temple to God, Solomon heard these words from God:
"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." 2 Chronicles 7:14
this is a theme throughout the whole Bible: if people, who love to exalt themselves, and love to point the finger at everyone else's wrongdoings, and love to seek comfort above righteousness, would HUMBLE themselves and PRAY and SEEK God's face and TURN from their wicked ways, God will bring healing!
the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament was a roller-coaster of failing and repenting and sinning and repenting and rebelling and repenting. God remained the same. He was faithful. He was just. He was merciful.
so what is all this business of repentance?
what does the word even mean? it is literally a turning. it is something drastic and life-changing, not just a moment of sadness or shame.
it is like someone on a nature trail, who has been following a particular path, and then realizes as they look at the map that they are going the wrong way. the path they are on is actually going in the opposite direction of their intended destination! that is the moment for a decision: do i keep walking forward or do i turn around completely and go the other way? do i say, 'well, i've been going this way too long to change now,' or do i humble myself, admit the fact that i messed up, and turn around so that i can reach the right location?
repentance causes us to do some introspection and discover where we've fallen short. it comes with regret and remorse and humility and maybe some ugly crying.
but repentance doesn't just end there. it doesn't leave us groveling in the dirt at the end of the wrong path. NO! after we turn around, we WALK towards the correct destination! when we turn from our sins and turn to Jesus, it comes with rewards:
~God will hear us (2 Chronicles 7:14, 34:27)
~God will forgive our sins (2 Chronicles 7:14, 1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19, Isaiah 55:7, Acts 26:18, and more)
~God will cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19)
we will LIVE! (Ezekiel 18:21-23)
~God will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14, Leviticus 26:4)
~and more! joy! peace! contentment! the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us!
so as i reluctantly watch the election results, i pray for my country. i pray for repentance. and i also pray for God's mercy: that it won't have to get TOO bad before we admit our sins and turn from our wickedness.
thankfully, i know that i serve a merciful God who has been patient enough to bear with us this far...
"For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" Ezekiel 18:32
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