Four Things

            I took a course for taking the FCC exam for a radio license while working with A. T. and T. company. One of the sections of the course was on how to take a test. The initial instruction was to read through the complete test, from beginning to end and then to follow the instructions. The last statement on the exercise was to close your test booklet, stand up and leave the room. Of course, many did not even read the test completely to the end and so after a short time began to work the many problems in the booklet. Those that did read the complete test, laid down the booklet, got up, and left the room having finished the instructions. We are not a people that are particularly good at following instructions. The more steps that are in them, the more likely we will try to skip some steps and not follow them completely. It is clear that God has given us instructions on how to live in this world and if we follow them to the letter, we will have no problem. Our difficulties arise when we decide we can skip a few steps and then hope for getting the best results. Second Chronicles 7:14 says, “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.” 

           The verse for today is one of those important verses that appears on political adds by conservative people or on plaques in Christian bookstores. It is possibly one of the more quoted verses in times of difficulty for most Christian nations. We know the scene. Solomon has just finished constructing one of the most lavish and expensive buildings in the world considering the amount of gold, silver and brass that were used in its construction. It was dedication time. God tells Solomon about some possible calamities that might be around and how to avoid them. He mentions in verse 13 those things that would cripple the nation. God uses even bugs to get his will accomplished. Then comes the instructions on how to avoid them. God mentions four things as a set of instructions might do, in order to avoid a national catastrophe. Number one, they shall humble themselves. Number two, they shall pray. Number three, they shall seek the face of God and number four, they shall turn from their wicked ways. Any failure to do the four things will result in a forfeit of their blessings. Immediately after the short list of four things, comes the word, “then.” We are not a particularly humble people in our society today. This can be noted by the number of “selfies” that appear on social media. We seem to have this desire to look at ourselves in the mirror and glory in how good we look. The next step was to pray. Again, we are not a praying people and find it difficult to spend more than 10 minutes in prayer on a daily basis. We seem to be satisfied with making a nominal gesture at saying thanks for our food in a 15 second statement. We fail to notice that we called upon the LORD Who is the King of heaven and of the universe. We next find it difficult to seek the face of God in all that we do. The final one is perhaps one of the most difficult because we simply don't want to do it. We are to turn from our wicked ways. We love to feed the flesh in every possible way that we can. God has given us a list of those things that are wicked and everyone probably know what they are in their own heart, but we fail to get rid of them because we enjoy them too much. The result is that the healing doesn't come. God said He would do three things: hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. It took Israel seventy years to learn that lesson. How long will it take you and me? Praise God that He is Sovereign in all the world.