Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Father God, lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Open our eyes where we are blind to our sin and separation from You.
2020 is a big four election year with bonuses: a plague in the land, civil unrest, and a potential famine on the horizon. No doubt politicians will unfurl the banner of 2 Chronicles 7:14 again as the battle cry to return to our nation to the glory days.
This is likely to be an unpopular post, but something we should consider – because despite our prayers… is the United States getting better?
Have we followed God’s advice in the context surrounding this verse and truly sought His face? Do we see evidence that we have turned from our wicked ways, actively choosing to walk in His? How is that humility thing working for us right now? Do our words on social media reflect His heart – or reveal our pride?
We have offered up this verse time and again. Why does He remain silent? Why has He not given us the desires of our heart to restore our country as we claim His Word says He will do?
Several years ago, after lamenting to a close friend that I had prayed so hard for restoration in an area of my life for 14 years, I said with great frustration, “I do not understand why He will not give me the desires of my heart as He promises in His word!”
She very wisely said, “Perhaps the desires of your heart do not align with His desires for you. Humble yourself, seek Him and ask that He align your heart with His desires for you.”
I was gob-smacked feeling, like I had been hit by a 2×4 board. But it hit me so hard that it turned me around in the direction I needed to go. A little sore, a little bruised, but wide awake and determined to run back to Him.
And today, with this blog, I hope to lovingly smack the faithful in America the same way: Maybe we are out of line – and our prayers are, too, because we are praying for the restoration of the wrong place.
Right now, He is calling His children scattered all throughout the earth to truly repent and come back to Him – louder than ever before – so He can celebrate our prodigal return with His faithful, loving kindness.
Perhaps our desires should be for full restoration of His land where He placed His name – and for our own restoration, as grafted in Children of God, within His borders. Maybe our prayers are better spent requesting that He establish the wide space His Word declares His family will have.
What would happen if our eyes looked forward to that with our minds submitted to His will for us?
It is fine to want the countries where God’s people are scattered to benefit and thrive. His Word tells us to settle down, build homes, and pray for the leaders in Jeremiah 29 while we are out here in Babylon. But, by and large, His people have become comfortable, lazy, and assimilated in the diaspora.
Do we consider how it makes Him feel when we cry out, begging Him to come spruce up the pig pens our lives have become instead of helping us limp our way back home?
God doesn’t make us go. He just helps us become willing to leave and head home in humility, walking obediently in Spirit and in Truth, hoping to see His face again, then when we do – picking up our pace to run to Him as He runs to us and welcomes us back home.
Psalm 122 encourages us to pray for the peace, the restoration to wholeness, the shalom of Jerusalem.
–Merrilyn V. Harrison
Kingdom Advance 