DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Today is National Day of Prayer
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Since 1952, our nation has observed the National Day of Prayer…
a day designated by Congress for our nation “to turn to God in prayer and meditation”.

This year’s theme is “Investing in Hope… Transforming our Nation Through Prayer!”
Invest in Hope.
Transform through Prayer.
Sounds good to me.

Shout out to Mike & Karen Davis and the Centre for Christian Training and Development for kicking off a prayer call at 5 AM this morning. There are prayer events like this all over the nation today. Are you participating?

If My People

The passage that is most used in the National Day of Prayer announcements and events is 2 Chronicles 7:14, “…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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

What is rarely discussed is the context by which God speaks these words. 2 Chronicles 7 records some pretty miraculous things. King Solomon prays a voluminous prayer of dedication in building a temple for God in Chapter 6. Then, fire comes from heaven and consumes their sacrifices. God’s glory fills the temple. All the people fall down on their faces in worship. This kicks off festivals that last for weeks. It’s an all out party.

When it’s all said and done, God appears to Solomon at night and tells him that He’s heard Solomon’s prayer and chosen this temple for His name. Then God says, when judgment comes on the land i.e. drought, locusts and plagues, if God’s people turn back to Him, He will forgive their sins and heal their land.

Might We Have Things Twisted?

It sounds like the judgment comes because God’s people turn away from Him, doesn’t it? And it sounds like God’s healing comes when God’s people turn back to Him. Anybody else read it like that?

Might we have things a little twisted?

For our family of faith who keep looking at “sinners” and/or Hollywood and/or any particular group and saying how messed up our country is and how God is judging us because of sinners’ godlessness, might we be off? It sounds like God is saying judgment occurs when His people forsake Him.

God tells Solomon as long as he follows God, his throne will be established. But God says once Solomon decides to serve and worship other gods, the people will be run out of the land. What did Solomon do? Served and worshiped other gods. What happened? God’s people were booted from their land. It’s all conditional.

How Bout We Turn

How about we, God’s people, turn from our godless ways? How about we repent? I’m not saying sinners don’t need to repent. I’m just saying if we’re going to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, we might want to look at the man and woman in the mirror. It sounds like God is waiting on us. So, let’s do it, Fam.

Father, forgive us. We, your people, have sinned against You. We have served other gods and the works of our own hands. Please forgive us. We turn our hearts back to You and seek Your face and pray that You will hear us, forgive us and heal our land, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian

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