One of the common Bible verses being quoted at this time can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, it reads:
“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.”
This is the verse we pray when things are going bad in the world and we need God to fix it. Unfortunately, many read past the conditions and go right to the “heal their land” part. So what exactly are the conditions God requires in order to bring the healing? Let’s take a look:
Humble yourselves
Before you think that this verse is directed at someone other than the church, it’s not. God is requiring those who “call on his name” to humble themselves. Believers in God are asked to go against their own human nature which says, “I’ve got this, I can handle anything without divine intervention.” Humility requires wisdom to know that you can’t handle this without the help of your creator.
Pray and seek my face.
In Matthew 6:33 we read, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” We are called to seek and live by God’s standards and, his definition of how things should go, not ours.
Turn from their wicked ways
This involves repentance, getting to a place in our lives when we say, “I am going the wrong way, I am living contrary to God’s will for my life.” Jesus clearly stated in John 14:5, that our love for God is demonstrated by obeying his commandments. It would be hard to argue that you love God, while doing exactly the opposite of what he desires for your life.
So after we humble, ourselves, and pray (asking God what he wants), and then turning away from those things that aren’t what he wants, only then does it say he will hear our prayers and heal our land. Is God making people die from the virus? No, but he is allowing the natural consequences of a sinful world to take its course. Sin that he had no part in, nor wants. Rather in this verse he is asking his people to reach out and ask for help in order to receive his beautiful plan for their lives. God can allow many things to be used as a wake up call. This time he is calling believers to come back to the God who loves them.
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