Repent 2

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Like almost anyone else, from time to time my wife and I get on each other’s nerves, or our children do those things that spark my anger, or other people get me frustrated and I get mad. When tempers flare up and voices are raised that usually means that there is not a lot of communication going on.

When I am angry I don’t like to say much, and I don’t want to hear very much either. What needs to happen is that an apology must be made. Once that happens then communication can be restored and the relationship goes back to normal.

In the same way we can be separated from God because of our own mistakes and errors. Today’s passage is part of God’s response to Solomon when Solomon dedicates the temple to the Lord. What type of situation is God referring to in verse 13? What must God’s people do? How will God respond?

It is a very common concept in much of the Old Testament writings that when people suffered it was because they had done wrong and offended God, and God was punishing them. Personally, I don’t strictly cling to the belief that every bad thing is a punishment for wrong.

That being said, I do believe that when we stray from God and do those things we should not be doing, or don’t do the things we should, we are removed from the blessings of God. That seems to be the situation addressed in verse 13.

If we find ourselves out of God’s good will, if we feel that we should or could be more dedicated to serving God, then there are things we need to do to restore that relationship. There are things we need to do to start that conversation going again.

We – the people of God, called by His name – need to humble ourselves. Part of that humility is the acknowledgement that we must obey God. We must submit ourselves to the Lord. And part of that submission is to repent and seek forgiveness.

We must seek the face of God, that connection and relationship with the Almighty. We can seek God in prayer, and we can turn from our sinful ways and seek redemption from the Lord.

When we do these things God has promised that He will be part of that conversation which is our relationship with God, a connection of peace and love.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you humble yourself for God?