Day 5 - Repent, Return & Be Restored

“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.”
2 Chronicles 7:13-15

Solomon had just finished building the temple when God showed up and said “I’ve heard your prayers and this temple will be a place of repentance and forgiveness.” Then God offered a warning; not a pat on the back, not an ‘atta boy, good job building my temple but a warning. And attached to the warning God gave a promise.  

We see the warning in verse 13. Why did God offer this warning?  Perhaps it was because Israel’s sole focus had been on building the temple of the Lord and now that they were done there was time for other things.  

What happens when we have idle hands? Idle hands have a tendency to fall into temptation. When we fall into temptation we sin against God and then what is required? Repentance followed by forgiveness of sin. The Lord knew that once the “building” project was accomplished, Satan was going to attack. But God, in all of His abundant mercy, provided His people with some guidelines so that they would know what to do when that time came. These same guidelines are for us today.  

First, God explains that our sin results in the removal of His blessings from our lives. Second, He shows us how we can be restored to a right relationship with Him. Simply humble yourself through prayer by turning away from your prideful, “I can do this on my own,” attitude and actions and RETURN to Him by making your pursuit about God and not yourself.

When we do that, God promises “I will hear you, I will forgive you, and I will heal you.”  

Pray— Lord, reveal my sin to me. Am I idle? I realize that if I’m coasting and taking it easy, my adversary, the devil, is prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone like me. Protect me from his evil schemes. Have I fallen into temptation? Lord, I recognize that even though I’ve stumbled and fallen into temptation, I can take heart in knowing that this isn’t the end and I can return to You.


Blogged by Pastor Jason Baird