… 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. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 7, 2013): 2 Chronicles 7

In American Football, I love the misdirection play. And as athletes on both side of the ball get better, I think the misdirection play is becoming more and more important. The players are just too good – and if the defense knows ahead of time what it is that the offence is going to do, then they will stop it. So, even for the premiere quarterbacks of the league, being considered among the best means possessing the ability to hide the football and make the defense guess at what is coming at them. It is one of the things that really elite quarterbacks learn early. Being successful at that position involves more than just throwing the ball.

But while the misdirection is important in football, it is the reverse that is important in life. In life we need to the action to be plain. It is one of the reasons for the employment of life coaches. It is not that we don’ know what it is that we need to do. But sometimes we seem to get confused and we need someone to simply remind us of what we already know.

And as Solomon finishes the temple and moves the Ark of the Covenant inside of its walls, God has a conversation with him. And the purpose of the conversation is really to make sure that Solomon realizes what is expected of Israel. This is not supposed to be a misdirection play. The temple is nice, and God has accepted it as the place on earth that will be the home of his name, but the temple does not mean that that is all the God of the Universe requires of Solomon. First, God reminds Solomon who the people of Israel really are – he calls them my people, called by my name. He is the owner – the very reason why Israel exists. But God continues. If my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face. All three of these actions are related to each other. If they do not humble ourselves – if they cannot understand that they are not the most important people of the community – then they will not pray; and if they do not pray, do not try to communicate with God, then they will never see his face. But God adds the next phrase – turn from their wicked ways. Worship of God has never been about the sacrifice presented to God in the midst of a beautiful temple – it has always been about obedience to the desires of God. And any act of disobedience, no matter how mild, God sees as wicked. But if the people of God humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways – then God will heal the land.

Maybe that is why our land seems to be so much in need of healing. We sometimes seem to be more willing to fight against God than just to be quiet and listen to what he says. Solomon needed to be reminded by God that in spite of the beautiful temple that he had built, his job as king was to still to just be quiet and listen – and let God heal the land.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 8