Happy Monday!
14 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 KJV
This scripture is the wallpaper on my computer, it was in Sunday’s sermon, we hear it a lot these days and I try to remind myself of it a lot.
Maybe you do too. I have to admit though that sometimes, I just simply forget.
I have often wondered, just who are the people called by his name? Exactly who is supposed to humble themselves and pray?
I found a very interesting article from Biblestudytools.com and have included a short excerpt from it. The complete article can be found at https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/does-the-verse-if-my-people-who-are-called-by-my-name-apply-to-the-world-today.html It is an interesting read.
My short version is this: We, as the family of God, need to humble ourselves and pray, seek HIS face and ask for forgiveness! We need to do this for ourselves and pray for those who don’t.
Why would He forgive their/our sins and heal their/our land if we can’t even change the situation that caused the rift in the first place?
Father, forgive me! I fail so often and I mess up even when I try to do right. Lord, I pray for those who live in the world. They need Your truth, love and comfort badly. Strengthen us and lead us down the narrow path of truth. In Jesus name, Amen
Pray Unceasingly!!
Lois
“If My People Who Are Called by My Name” Apply to the World Today? (Excerpt Only)
“Under the covenant in the Old Testament, God’s chosen people were the Hebrews, the descendants of Abraham. After redeeming them from Egypt, the Lord tells the Hebrews that, “The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” These are some of the people who are called by His name.
However, in the Old Testament there are individuals who were not Hebrews who called to God, and whom He counted as His own. These included:
Rahab of Jericho (Joshua 2)
Ruth the Moabitess (Book of Ruth)
Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11)
Naaman the foreign commander (2 Kings 5)
These are people who were brought into the family of God. Ruth becomes an ancestor to the Lord Jesus. Naaman even has a pestilence – leprosy – healed as a result of the faith he chooses to put in the God of Israel, just Solomon asked God to do in 2 Chronicles 6:28.
In the New Testament, even more people receive this blessing, and are called children of God. After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the gentiles begin to call on His name. They are forgiven, and Paul states, “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the branches” (Romans 11:17).
Anyone who places their faith in God and calls for His mercy, is someone who is called by His name”