I am a little behind this week in my postings. I appreciate your grace in my delay, as I have been a little busy with cheer cookies.
This week, as we study Yahweh Ropheka, I don’t want us to merely focus on our healing when it comes to sickness. I know that is probably our go-to, as we often pray for the healing of sickness. And that’s not a bad thing at all. He wants us to come to him for that kind of healing. However, he isn’t just the healer of the physical, as I pointed out on Sunday.
God has impressed upon me 2 Chronicles 7:14 for the last two days. Years ago, I had a preacher who had us quote this verse every week before he preached. It is ingrained in my brain. (Side note: if you aren’t in the habit of memorizing scripture, you need to be. When you face troubles of any kind, it’s easier to have an immediate response of God’s word when it is hidden in your heart and mind. This is a challenge for myself as well.)
2 Chronicles opens with Solomon, son of David, taking control of his kingdom. He gathered the people and approached a bronze altar at the Tabernacle of the Lord and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it. That night, God appeared to him and asked him, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Solomon said, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O LORD God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”
God responded, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people, I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame.”
Solomon was given the chance to ask for anything he wanted and he chose to ask for wisdom and knowledge. He was already wise before he asked for any wisdom. God blessed Solomon because of his choice with what he asked for and what he didn’t. (I believe there is a lesson there, that wisdom should be valued and regarded above earthly riches, but that is not the point that I wanted to make today. )
The next few chapters are the telling of Solomon building the temple. After it is built, in chapter six, Solomon praises the Lord and offers thousands of animals for sacrifices. Yes, thousands. When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the presence of the LORD filled the Temple.
After the dedication of the temple to God, the LORD appeared to Solomon one night, stating that “I have heard your prayer. At times, I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.”
There is so much more in this beautiful passage, but I want to focus on the healing. Now there hasn’t been a time of drought or famine in many years, but God is saying IF there is,
IF my people who are called by my name (so his chosen people)
- Will humble themselves
- Pray
- Seek my face
- Turn from their wicked ways
THEN I will hear from heaven and heal their land.
There are some who say that this passage doesn’t apply to us now. They think it only applies to the Israelites because they are his chosen people. BUT Romans 8:15-16 says, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”
So, we are his people, and when we take him on in baptism, then we are his children, and when we call on his name, humble ourselves, pray, seek him, and repent, then he will hear our prayers and heal (rophe) our land.
We may not be in a drought or even in a famine at the moment, at least not one that pertains to the land itself. But perhaps we are in a cultural spiritual famine. People don’t go to church like they used to. When I was growing up, church wasn’t an option. You went. Period. You had better be sick, out of town, or dead if you weren’t going whenever the doors were open. Lately, it’s turned into “if I feel like it,” or “if the kids don’t have practice,” or “if we get our homework done,” or “if I get off work in time,” or “that’s my only day to sleep in, so if I wake up on time, I might try.”
When did attending church become optional? When did a relationship with God become optional?
I personally have seen the decline in our society. When I was a kid, certain shows with certain language and “scenes” weren’t even allowed on tv until after the kids were in bed. Today, we have to monitor what creeps in so our kids aren’t accidentally exposed to something that they don’t need to be. Men are portrayed as idiots on TV screens and no longer viewed as the man of the house and spiritual leader. Men are no longer stepping up in church and leading in church, teaching classes, or being an active part of the worship service. (Yes, I believe that men are a vital part of leading not only our homes but also our churches as well. Strong godly men are needed.)
“Sunday school” no longer teaches the importance of scripture but shows a video, asks a few “thoughtful” questions, and have a good morning, and don’t forget to pray.” I remember having to quote my memory verse in front of the class, having quizzes on the things we learned, Bible Bowls to test our knowledge of scripture, and youth events where we just gathered to worship.
How do we get back to having a society that is more focused on God and less focused on social media?
How do we turn Sunday school rooms back to learning and relationship?
How do we turn our society away from self-satisfaction and back to reverence of God?
If we are His people, then maybe it starts with us, the ones who are called by his name. We need to Humble ourselves. We need to Pray. We need to Seek HIS face. We need to Turn from our wicked ways. Then he will hear us and heal our land.
Our physical land may be ok, but our spiritual land needs some tending. Maybe some weeds need to be pulled, some pride needs to be removed, priorities need to be adjusted, some humility needs to step in, and hearts need to be opened up to God. Our town, our state, our country, and our world all need Jesus. Yahweh Ropheka, hear our prayer. Reclaim your people. Let us call on your name. Let us repent of our ways so that he will hear us and heal us.
Have a great day with Jesus.
