June 30, 2021
Independence Day is coming soon. America will celebrate her 245th birthday. We honor the great deeds done and victories won that enabled our forefathers to carve out a land of liberty.
On this glorious day, it is good to remember the words God gave to the nation of Israel long ago. They too had won a victory and were living in a time of peace under the reign of King Solomon. God appeared to Solomon and spoke these memorable words: If my people, which 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 will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
These words were spoken to Israel as the chosen people of God. Though America is not in that same sense God’s chosen nation, yet it has been singularly blessed by God throughout its history. Our Bill of Rights are founded upon Judaeo-Christian principles, So, this text is applicable to us today. If we are trusting in Christ alone, and in no one else and nothing else for salvation, we can have the blessing of God upon our land if we obey these commands.
We must have humility. Humility is seeing the greatness of God and the frailty of self. It is seeing the vastness of God and the limitations of self. It is seeing the holiness of God and sinfulness of self. Humility is a starting point in our relationship with God. Nothing can happen without a humble spirit. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. Pride may be the greatest of all sins.
We must pray. Prayer is many things, but it begins with a sense of God’s worth. We praise Him and adore Him for who He is. Prayer continues with confession. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ, He has promised us that…if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Prayer must be sincere, described as ‘seeking God’s face.’ We cannot come to God with any pretense or hypocrisy. There must be honesty before God.
Finally, we must repent. Repentance means to change our mind. Where once we saw our way as best, we now see that God is right and knows what He is doing. Where once we rebelled against the will of God, we now acknowledge our rebellion and pride and submit to the Lord.
What does God promise to do if we follow this formula? He promises to hear, to forgive and to heal.
As a nation, America needs to humble itself, to pray, and to repent. We have much about which we need to repent. The deeds of rebellion are all around us. But primarily American needs to repent of her independence from God. We have forsaken God and His Word. We have thought that we know better than God, and that our way is better.
America needs revival. It needs another Great Awakening as occurred in the late 1800s when people all across the land fell to their knees in repentant prayer.
We cannot expect God’s blessing if we do not honor and obey Him. It is not too late, but time is, I fear, running out.
God can bless America, but only if she deserves His blessing. This is Pastor Rob Adams of Immanuel Baptist Church, Westbrook, asking you to humbly join me in repentant, earnest prayer for our land.