The Average Jane Journal #12 - Heart, Not Politics

“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 will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14


Yes, I know I have written on this verse before; but I just can’t get away from it. The last couple of days my heart has been heavy thinking about the condition of our country. I don’t like talking politics, and I know it’s a first reaction to think it’s politics when the subject of our country is brought up. But to me, it’s more of a faith related topic-a heart condition of our country; and not just our heart, but God’s broken heart.

I’m just going to be open and vulnerable here-does anyone else ever get overwhelmed at ALL the many things that need prayer in our country today? I feel that way a lot lately. The past year or so my heart has started mourning a little more everyday at the decline of our country’s heart. I have signed up for numerous daily emails letting me know what is going on in the political realm of things. I get a daily email with a prayer for me to pray about the upcoming Presidential election. And I have to be honest, the information is so overwhelming.

My mind has been non stop the last few days. As some of you know I attended the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, via satellite on Thursday and Friday. You can’t help but come home pumped up from that, and I was/am. That night I received an email that some of you might have seen going around. It’s from a woman that went to a conference and one of the speakers was Kay Arthur, a very respectable Christian speaker. The author of the email wanted everyone to know how awesome the conference was, and how Kay Arthur said she feels like God told her that our country was headed for a physical famine. The woman’s heart was sincere and passionate that everyone start praying for our nation. My first reaction was fear, I would respect something from Kay Arthur. And I even sat down to journal on the email, with a copy of the email attached. Something was telling me to check it out and see if it was true. So I researched it, and found a letter from Kay Arthur on her website saying that it is not what she said. She actually said that we, as Americans, are setting ourselves for famine. She gave examples of cost of foods going up, and crops being destroyed by weather. She was making a point that famine is one of the judgments God uses when His people turn from Him. (Ezekiel 14:12-20) I don’t believe the author of the email meant any disrespect to Kay Arthur, she was being sincere with what she thought was said and wanted people to know about it.

While I was glad to hear that she had not had a prophecy, I also knew it could happen; I don’t doubt it at all.

I read from the Old Testament almost every day and the whole theme is pretty much how the Israelites(God’s chosen people) would screw up, cry out to God, God save them, they follow God sincerely for awhile, then the cycle starts all over again. There are many prophets, judges, etc that God uses to keep His people in line; but a lot of the times they do not listen to them. There is usually punishment of some type when they turn from God.

So I start wondering, can we relate to God’s chosen people? Can we read the Old Testament and put our country in the story or is all that only for them at that time? I believe, since Jesus came, that all Believers are now God’s chosen people. I believe that before Jesus, God’s chosen people were by descent-physical birth. But now we are by spiritual birth, so I think that makes us God’s chosen people now.

God hated all the “ugliness” that was going on that the Israelites got themselves into. They would abandon God’s ways and allow detestable things to go on in their country. We have detestable things going on in our country. I can just imagine God looking down on us, and with a heavy, broken heart shake His head. That saddens me, and also convicts me because a lot of times I feel like nothing can be done; that the decline is already so far advanced, that I feel like it can’t be stopped.

So then that brings me back to the verse, am I :
Humbling myself?
Praying?
Seeking God’s face?
Turning from my wicked ways?

I guess it boils down to, do we believe God can do anything? What would happen if we become a humbled country? And remember all the things listed above have to happen by Believers-not non Believers. They do not have the Holy Spirit to guide them in the right ways. This is God rallying all His chosen people to come back to Him.

That gets me to thinking, most of you if asked would say we are in the “end times” or getting close. Most Believers assume that because of the decline of things. But what if we’re not? (I’m not saying I know that, I’m just talking out loud.) What if this is one of those times where God’s chosen people cry out to God in unity and God “changes” the outcome. I know that is a subject all in itself. When something like that happens in the Bible, my first thought is “didn’t God know that was going to happen anyway, so He didn’t really change His mind, did He???”. I’m not going to pretend I understand all the ways of God.

I’m just saying what IF we do humble ourselves and in a situation where our country might be headed for punishment, our sincere hearts fill up God’s heart with so much joy that we have a revival in this country? What if when other countries, that have either turned from God’s ways or just never had His ways, when they are falling apart-our country stands back up, on righteousness??? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate in bringing God glory!!! He wants to bless His people!!!

So my prayer for our country is that God makes us hungry for peace(from sin) and grant us hope to see this land we love be healed. We are known as a land of freedom, but that freedom comes through God ultimately. I don’t want to live in a land where God lets others rule us, others that are against God. Do you? Do you want a revival in our land?

So politics aside, the answer is II Chronicles 7:14.



God in this City
by Chris Tomlin

You're the God of this city You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation You Are

For there is no one like our God There is no one like our God

Chorus 1:
Greater things have yet to comeGreat things are still to be doneIn this city
Greater things are still to comeAnd greater things are still to be done here

Verse 2:
You're the Lord of Creation The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings You Are
You're the strength in our weakness You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness You Are
Chorus 2:
Greater things have yet to comeGreat things are still to be doneIn this city
Where glory shines from hearts aliveWith praise for you and love for youIn this city
Greater things have yet to comeGreat things are still to be doneIn this city
Greater things are still to comeAnd greater things are still to be done here