When We Pray (I)

Bible Reading: II Chronicles 7:11-16

Yesterday we started by establishing the fact that God is sovereign. We concluded our reflection on God’s open invitation to call upon Him regardless of any situation we find ourselves. When we pray genuinely and in faith, God shows up— maybe not how you want it or even when you want it, God shows up at the right time. We reiterated the fact that prayer is not a divine system to ask our needs from God alone. It is a system ordained by God to build relationship and fellowship with, and to reinforce the establishment of His kingdom and His will here on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

I would like us to continue with this verse and reflect on some conditions God sets out in our memory verse. God spoke to king Solomon after the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem when Solomon offered an extravagant and extraordinary sacrifice unto God. God’s words to Solomon was an assurance that “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land’ (2 Chronicle 7:14, NLT). There are requirements to God answering and healing our land from our Bible. First, the verse starts with the conditional verb “if”. This means that everything in that verse depends on a condition that must be fulfilled and if that condition is not fulfilled, do not expect the result. The condition also speaks to the human element involved, particularly, the power of choice and self will.

Secondly, the next word qualifies the kind of people God is referring to, “if my people”. It is such a privilege to be God’s people or a person of God. Apostle Peter summarizes up what this means: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10, NKJV). As people of God, we can call upon Him anytime. We have access to Him because we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Dear friend, God is interested in you and He wants to call you His own today. Jesus Christ is the way to the way, the truth and life and no one cometh to the Father except through Jesus.

Action Point: Settle with God in your heart, ask for God’s mercy over areas of your life that you have not lived up to His divine expectation.

Intercessory prayer: Be an Elijah, go ahead and pray for our nations.

Hymn: What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!