Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Praying for Rain

In a dry and weary land, what if our prayers for rain aren't exactly addressing the real issue?
“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NASB
Verse 14 is relatively well-known by many Christians (and it seems like we mostly think of healing our land to mean purging the evil from it), but verse 13 doesn't often get quoted along with it. I've been thinking about it more lately since we need rain pretty badly. Specifically, in what ways do I need to humble myself? What meaningless activities can I cut out in order to spend more time talking to God and seeking His face? What wickedness is lurking in my heart that needs to be rooted out?
The Bible is not a book of fables but of real history and truth. These words were originally spoken to the people of ancient Israel, the people chosen to represent the Great I Am to the rest of the world. 
The coming of Jesus the Messiah opened the door for Jew and Gentile alike to come near to God and join His family. If these words in 2 Chronicles revealed such a cause and effect relationship for their heart conditions then, why should we think it would be any different for us who are part of His family today?

With all that said, I'm still praying for rain too!