There are moments in our history and in recent days that the church has chosen a verse to serve as a mantra.  You can find these verses on blankets, wall art, and coffee cups.  And now, with the medium of Facebook, they can be seen repeatedly on your newsfeed.  2 Chronicles 7:14 is one that is often used and with the things happening in communities through the nation, this verse has become more prevalent.  However, let’s look at verse 13 as well.  “If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on My people, ¹⁴and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

Our first question: Who are my people?  In 2 Chronicles, this was the nation of Israel.  They were God’s chosen people.  However, today God’s people are all those who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  We use church jargon and say that it’s everyone that is saved or we call them believers.  So, we must understand that if we apply this to our current time, it is for the church and not for America as a whole.  We learn in verse 13 that the disobedience of God’s people (currently the church) brought on drought, famine, and pestilence.  These things were done so that the Israelites would turn from their wicked ways, back to God.

Our second question: What are my people supposed to do?  The quick answer is –  confess their sin and repent.  If their current situation was brought about by turning away from God, they must turn back to him for it to be corrected.  God’s people knew him, turned away from him, and were now being told to return to him.

Our third question: What will God do?  He will forgive their sin and remove the consequences that are wreaking havoc on their land.  The drought will be over, the famine will end, and pestilence will be removed.  He will lift his partial judgment from his people.

So what does this mean for us?  The church, as God’s people, should be focused on the confession of and repentance from our sin.  We should seek God and turn from our wicked ways.  This is a call to repentance for the church, not for America.  It begins with the church, and if the church does this, it will affect our country.