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If My People

                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. (II Chronicles 7:14)

                I know I’ve written about this verse before. I don’t remember whether it was for Independence Day, but if there was ever a day on which this verse should be considered, Independence Day is such a day. First, let’s deal with the obvious. This was written to and for the Jews. There are some who would say that no one else has a right to claim the verse, but God doesn’t stop being God, which means that He’s not likely to treat non-Jews the opposite of the Jews if the non-Jews do as the verse describes. But, it also doesn’t mean that the promise will be kept in the same way, even if those keeping their side do what the verse says.

                One of the things that those of us living as believers today need to keep in mind, just as the Jews did, is that this promise isn’t entirely or exactly about Israel, or America, or any other country on earth. It’s about the Kingdom of God. God could keep His promise even if Israel ceased to exist as a nation. In fact, He did. If all American Christians were to do what the verse requires, America could cease to exist as part of the healing of the land.

                But, in order for us to find out how God will fulfill this promise to us, we need to do our part. That means humbling ourselves. It’s not about us. It’s about God.

It’s about praying. Again, it’s not about us. It’s about God.

We must seek His face. It’s not about us. It’s about God.

We must turn from our wicked ways. It’s not about us. It’s about God.

It’s not even about America. It’s about God. I’m not disrespecting the country in which I (and many generations of ancestors) were born. I’m not disrespecting anything about America, but if America comes between us and God, we lose everything.  It’s like the Daughters of the American Revolution say, “God, Home, and Country.”

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