There’s an ancient remedy – a formula meant specifically for the healing of a nation.
It has nothing to do with education or rights. Instead, it involves humility, confession of sin, and obedience to God.
If we follow it, we life and thrive. If we do not, oblivion.
No other talk matters in the end. God is waiting for our answer…
“if My people who are called by My name will 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 Chronicles 7:14
Hear again, still ringing down through the ages, the heart of the Lord our God…
“Even now — this is the Lord’s declaration — turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to the Lord your God. Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber. Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: “Have pity on Your people, Lord, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God? ’ ” Then the Lord became jealous for His land and spared His people.” – Joel 2:12-18
Notice the healing comes very simply so that anyone may receive it. It comes when we turn from doing our own way, and turn back to God’s way. It comes when we stop arguing about our rights, and start asking about God’s desires. It comes when we stop taking up for our side, our race, and our way.
The old timers had a word for it: repentance. It means agreeing with God about our sin, turning from it, and walking in God’s way.
So the healing comes in our turning. And only there.
Perhaps when we’ve finished trying everything else under the sun, legislating every knee-jerk reaction, and blaming everyone else, we’ll finally take a good look at ourselves and say those words our loving Father is so longing to hear:
“I’m sorry. I was wrong. Help me.”
Until we come to that, there is nothing He can do to help us. Because you cannot stop a person who is hellbent on self-destruction. They will always find away to break free and run off the cliff.
Only when we turn can our Father save us from our worst enemy: ourselves.
