Daily Bible Verse On Prayer

 

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

In 2 Chronicles 6, King Solomon had just finished building the magnificent temple in Jerusalem, which was to be the central place of worship for the Israelites. After the completion of the temple, Solomon gathered the people of Israel for a special dedication ceremony. During this event, he offered a prayer to God, which is recorded in 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. In this prayer, Solomon acknowledges God's greatness and prays for His blessings, guidance, and forgiveness for the people.

Verse 2 Chronicles 7:1 tells us that after Solomon's prayer, the glory of the Lord filled the temple, signifying God's presence and approval of the place of worship. God then appeared to Solomon during the night and gave him a response in 2 Chronicles 7:12-22.

Within God's response to Solomon, 2 Chronicles 7:14 stands out as a powerful message of hope and repentance. The verse outlines a conditional promise made by God to the people of Israel, emphasizing the actions they must take to receive God's favor and blessings.

    "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves": The first condition is humility. God requires His people to recognize their dependence on Him and submit themselves before His sovereignty. This involves acknowledging their sins and weaknesses, realizing their need for God's mercy and guidance.

    "Pray and seek my face": The second condition is prayer and seeking God's face. This signifies the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God through prayer, worship, and seeking His will and direction in their lives.

    "Turn from their wicked ways": The third condition involves repentance and turning away from sin. God requires His people to forsake their wickedness and actively pursue a righteous and God-honoring life.

The verse then goes on to state the promise God makes to His people if they fulfill these conditions:

    "Then I will hear from heaven": God assures that He will pay attention to their prayers and cries for help.

    "Will forgive their sin": God promises to extend His forgiveness to those who genuinely repent and turn away from their sinful ways.

    "And will heal their land": Finally, God pledges to bring healing and restoration to their nation, both spiritually and physically.

While this verse was initially spoken to the people of Israel, its principles of humility, prayer, seeking God's face, and repentance apply to all people who seek a relationship with God. It emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility and accountability before God and the need for genuine repentance to experience God's forgiveness and healing.

2 Chronicles 7:14 is a powerful call to humility, prayer, seeking God, and repentance, with the assurance that God will respond with forgiveness and restoration to those who follow these steps.