Connecting With God
"If 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 and will forgive their sin and heal their land." ( 2 Chroncles 7 vs 14, ESV)
I want to disect this verse today because I believe we have lost the true meaning of what it's really saying to us. We use it so lightly these days that we fail to see what God intends for us in this present age.
This verse is divided into two parts with 8 different principles. The first deals with five principles concerning us and how we connect with God. The second consists of three parts and how God responds to us when we do connect with him. So let's take a look and see with disecerning hearts what God is saying to us.
The First Part: Us - The Created Beings:
1. Identity: "If my people who are called by my Name." This gives us the foundation of our identity, that we are 'called by his Name.' It tells us that we belong, not just to a person but to a loving Father who is indeed creator of all things. This reminds us that we're all created in "his image." The word depicting 'Name' in the original hebrew is 'Shem.' It means reputation, fame, glory and monument.
We carry the Lord's name and in so doing we represent him. Our reputation is locked up in his. So if we have a good reputation all glory goes to him. So, it does matter how we live, speak and act. Others see us and they know exactly who we represent. We are to be that monument that speaks volumes to the world. They look at us and we point them in the only direction that we possibly can. The direction our lives point to - Jesus. By understanding this we know exactly how we operate on the earth.
2. Humility: "Humble themselves." This is a supreme call to humility. A humbling of ourselves before a Holy God. As John the Baptist would speak: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3 vs 30, ESV). Simply put, there must more of Him and less of us. More of his character and love in us than our sin filled selves and hatred.
It's all about posture. To 'Humble ourselves', is to bend the knee and come under his authority. It's about letting go of self and saying 'Only God' matters. He is everything and all else including our 'blessings' is secondary. God is first and foremost. His sovereign rule, not what I want but his will be done. So let's humble ourselves and come under his rule , because if we don't then we're definitely under someone else's rule.
3. Prayer: "And Pray." We have to be constantly engaging God all the time, all day. We should be desiring to find ourselves constantly at his feet. If we can't spend time with God in prayer then we can never truly claim to know him. As Tozer says, "To the man who would truly know God must give time to him." And Tozer also says in another place, "It is simply not enough to know about God. We must know God in increasing levels of intimacy that lifts us up above all reason and into the world of adoration and praise and worship." It is vitally important that we spend time with the Lord in prayer and his word. Prayer is vital to daily living.
(There's more on prayer that my good friend Sam Machacka who is a pastor to pastors wrote recently on this blog, "The secret to prayer is praying in secret.") Go check it out.
4. Seek: "Seek my face." Here "Seek" means to "Desire" and to "Enquire". Seeking him means desiring him with every ounce of who you are. Nothing else fills your heart besides him. Only him. We are consumed by him and what he wants. Our wills are subsumed into his. I eat, talk, breathe God. Is that who you are ? You can be, all you need do is "Seek" Him. He is your source. To "Enquire" also means to ask of Him. He desires that we his children make requests to him as a loving Father who delights in his children and lovingly meets with them.
5. Repentance: "Turn from their wicked ways": This is important. To 'Turn' is to repent of our sinful ways and come back to God. It means to restore and build. Repentance for us is a coming back to God. A restoration and a rebuilding of a relationship that was once broken because of our 'Turning away' from God. We see this in Christ. That we have been reconciled to the Father through the finished work of the cross and the resurrection. Repentance should be a part of our everyday lives. As someone anonymously once said, "When repetance becomes an everyday attitude then worship becomes a lifestyle." God accepts worship from a repentant heart not one who is self-centred.
I want to disect this verse today because I believe we have lost the true meaning of what it's really saying to us. We use it so lightly these days that we fail to see what God intends for us in this present age.
This verse is divided into two parts with 8 different principles. The first deals with five principles concerning us and how we connect with God. The second consists of three parts and how God responds to us when we do connect with him. So let's take a look and see with disecerning hearts what God is saying to us.
The First Part: Us - The Created Beings:
1. Identity: "If my people who are called by my Name." This gives us the foundation of our identity, that we are 'called by his Name.' It tells us that we belong, not just to a person but to a loving Father who is indeed creator of all things. This reminds us that we're all created in "his image." The word depicting 'Name' in the original hebrew is 'Shem.' It means reputation, fame, glory and monument.
We carry the Lord's name and in so doing we represent him. Our reputation is locked up in his. So if we have a good reputation all glory goes to him. So, it does matter how we live, speak and act. Others see us and they know exactly who we represent. We are to be that monument that speaks volumes to the world. They look at us and we point them in the only direction that we possibly can. The direction our lives point to - Jesus. By understanding this we know exactly how we operate on the earth.
2. Humility: "Humble themselves." This is a supreme call to humility. A humbling of ourselves before a Holy God. As John the Baptist would speak: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3 vs 30, ESV). Simply put, there must more of Him and less of us. More of his character and love in us than our sin filled selves and hatred.
It's all about posture. To 'Humble ourselves', is to bend the knee and come under his authority. It's about letting go of self and saying 'Only God' matters. He is everything and all else including our 'blessings' is secondary. God is first and foremost. His sovereign rule, not what I want but his will be done. So let's humble ourselves and come under his rule , because if we don't then we're definitely under someone else's rule.
3. Prayer: "And Pray." We have to be constantly engaging God all the time, all day. We should be desiring to find ourselves constantly at his feet. If we can't spend time with God in prayer then we can never truly claim to know him. As Tozer says, "To the man who would truly know God must give time to him." And Tozer also says in another place, "It is simply not enough to know about God. We must know God in increasing levels of intimacy that lifts us up above all reason and into the world of adoration and praise and worship." It is vitally important that we spend time with the Lord in prayer and his word. Prayer is vital to daily living.
(There's more on prayer that my good friend Sam Machacka who is a pastor to pastors wrote recently on this blog, "The secret to prayer is praying in secret.") Go check it out.
4. Seek: "Seek my face." Here "Seek" means to "Desire" and to "Enquire". Seeking him means desiring him with every ounce of who you are. Nothing else fills your heart besides him. Only him. We are consumed by him and what he wants. Our wills are subsumed into his. I eat, talk, breathe God. Is that who you are ? You can be, all you need do is "Seek" Him. He is your source. To "Enquire" also means to ask of Him. He desires that we his children make requests to him as a loving Father who delights in his children and lovingly meets with them.
5. Repentance: "Turn from their wicked ways": This is important. To 'Turn' is to repent of our sinful ways and come back to God. It means to restore and build. Repentance for us is a coming back to God. A restoration and a rebuilding of a relationship that was once broken because of our 'Turning away' from God. We see this in Christ. That we have been reconciled to the Father through the finished work of the cross and the resurrection. Repentance should be a part of our everyday lives. As someone anonymously once said, "When repetance becomes an everyday attitude then worship becomes a lifestyle." God accepts worship from a repentant heart not one who is self-centred.
The Second Part: God The Creator:
We will now take a look at how God intervenes when the requirements of the five principles mentioned above are met with. God will do three things when we connect with him as mentioned above.
God will:
1. Hear: "Then I will hear from heaven." God says He will hear. How amazing is that ? Take a look at what verse 15 says, " Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place." (2 Chronicles 7 vs 15). God says his eyes will be open and his ears attentive. He will be attending to us. It has in it the meaning of intimacy when he sees and hears us. He won't just listen but he will be attentive to every syllable uttered by those he loves. So please don't ever stop seeking him in prayer. He will hear you.
2. Forgiveness: "And will forgive their sin." He will surely forgive us. It means a full pardon. More than a presidential pardon that no one can overturn. So come to him and seek him in the beauty of His majesty. Repentance is key to forgiveness. It doesn't matter what others think or say about us. Not even our own thoughts on the matter can change his decision in forgiving us. His forgiveness makes us whole. Seek his forgiveness, nothing you've done or can do can make him love you less, for his love supercedes the love of any human on the earth. He loves you way too much. And if the God of all creation can forgive us, shouldn't we forgive others too ?
3. Healing: "And Heal their land." He will heal our land and make it whole once again. Here it means to heal the land of drought and diseases. Its a national healing but its also for the family and individuals as well. It means to heal physically and emotional healing too. It brings spiritual healing as well. But spiritual healing must take place first then physical healing is made complete. So trust God for the healing of your land. It will come. Whichever country you belong to, pray for it and see God work. As the Psalmist says,
"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." (Psalms 2 vs 8, ESV).
Ask him persistently and watch him move.
Be encouraged today and allow these principles to become a way of life to you as it has to me.
Much Blessings..
Shane
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thepassionatebeliever@gmail.com
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