21 April | Youth
«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 heal their land.» 2 Chronicles 7:14
That was the happiest day for Solomon. It was probably the most important in the history of the Jewish people. It was the inauguration of the temple. The king said a prayer that is considered one of the most beautiful and complete prayers in the Bible. In the end, the king of Israel invited the King of the universe to live among the people. A beautiful human prayer, which received a tremendous divine response. This powerful prayer does not end with “Amen,” but with fire.
In the midst of God's answer to Solomon's prayer, today's verse appears presenting the secret for the revival of God's people at any time. What does God ask for? Humble yourself. Pray. Search. Repent. Four human verbs, followed by three divine blessings: Hear. Forgive. Heal. God hears when we humble ourselves before Him. He forgives us when we humble ourselves before Him. He heals us when we humble ourselves before Him.
Humbling ourselves before God is recognizing our spiritual poverty. Jesus said that there are certain conditions for us to receive the blessings of the kingdom of God. The first is to be poor in spirit (Matt 5:3). From a spiritual point of view, we have nothing. We need to be aware of our faults and recognize that we are weak. This is how God's power is made perfect in our weakness.
The word humiliate comes from the Hebrew kana and means “to kneel.” Perhaps this gesture is the most representative of humility. The unrepentant sinner is too proud to pray. Prayer is submission, dependence, surrender. Pride does not tolerate these things. When we pray, we give up thinking that we are something. Only the humble truly pray.
Don't you think we are living in a situation today where we need to humble ourselves before the Almighty? If we are humble, we will let God be God in our lives. If we allow it, a real relationship with Him will begin. May the Lord have mercy on us!