“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 (NKJV)
This passage made a jaw-dropping impression on me when I took Henry Blackaby‘s Experiencing God course. “Called by My name”!—exclamation point mine. What greater privilege could there possibly be?
An octogenarian friend said that what helped her memorize the verse was to think alphabetically: humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways.
Second Chronicles 7:14 is one of those pesky “if…then” verses. “…then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Pray for the people of the Arabian Peninsula!—exclamation point God’s.
The other knock-you-between-the-eyes thing I got from Blackaby was, “Look what God is doing and join Him.”
Okay, we did. It’s too long a story, but joining Him meant that my husband and I got involved in work that on occasion puts us in these very hot, desert countries–and we’re not hot weather people! The very short of it is that it has been an extraordinary experience.
“The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 If you want to see what God is doing in the Arabian Peninsula read Reema Goode’s Which None Can Shut and follow her blog where she keeps the reader up to date with wit and wisdom.
On my last trip I met some local people through friends. When I left, I was given gifts by the women of the family—tokens of hospitality. It was a gift seeing the genuine trust and affection between my friends and this local family.
It may be hot and dry in the Arabian Peninsula, seemingly not fit for man nor beast, but it’s not a Godforsaken land. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that.
Here’s a link to a website: Praying Through the Arabian Peninsula. Look what God is doing and join Him.
Cristine Eastin 