When my Pastor reached out to me last Friday, I was on my way to the fair. His request for me to preach left me both honored and uncertain. I responded with a yes, but as I rode along, my thoughts started racing. “Lord, what am I supposed to say?” Throughout the week, I wrestled with this text, finding myself awake early and up late, searching for the message God wanted me to deliver.
Almost immediately after my Pastor’s text, I felt God’s answer in my heart: Turn Back. Then, He pointed me to the scripture, 2 Chronicles 7:14. This verse is often quoted, but rarely do we consider the full context. It’s God’s response to Solomon’s prayer after the dedication of the temple—a project that took 20 years to complete.
In verse 13, God speaks of drought, famine, and plagues as consequences of disobedience. In many ways, we can relate to these struggles today. Sometimes, we overlook the possibility that the trials we face—droughts, famines, or even global pandemics—may be linked to our sin. We often blame climate change or other worldly explanations, but could it be that God is calling us to turn back to Him?
A Call to Humility and Repentance
2 Chronicles 7:14 offers a conditional promise from God: "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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." This isn’t just a matter of saying a prayer or expressing sorrow. It requires a true change of heart and a willingness to let go of pride, humble ourselves, seek His face, and turn from sin.
As I prepared this message, God reminded me of my own journey. There was a time when I drifted from Him, struggling in silence. But in His grace, He brought me back. He revealed that it was pride that kept me in darkness—pride that prevented me from admitting I needed help. And He showed me that repentance is not just a feeling but a decision to turn away from our wrongs.
The Prodigal’s Journey Home
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son—a young man who left home to indulge in a life of sin, only to find himself destitute and alone. Like the prodigal, we too can find ourselves far from God, yet He waits patiently for us to return. Turning back doesn’t require us to hit rock bottom. It shouldn’t take a crisis or catastrophe to bring us to our senses.
God is calling us to return to Him, to embrace the power of repentance, and to experience the healing that only He can provide. When we turn back, He meets us with open arms, ready to restore and renew us.
The Power is in the Turn Back
Today, I believe God is searching for prodigal sons and daughters ready to say, “I am back.” Returning to God means acknowledging our sins, asking for His forgiveness, and opening our hearts to be filled with His Spirit once more. It means saying, "God, I love You. Forgive me for turning away." And in doing so, we activate the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, where God promises to hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.
So let us humble ourselves. Let us pray. Let us seek His face. And most importantly, let us turn back to God, embracing His grace and the promise of healing. In this turn back, there is power—power to change our lives, our communities, and our world.
If today you find yourself far from God, know that He is waiting. Turn back to Him, and let Him renew you from the inside out. Amen.
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
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