"Then I will hear from heaven..."

When I heard this evening that the GOP was projected to take back control of the House, as was widely anticipated, I wanted to come up with a pithy status message invoking Obama’s statement in 2008, where he said: “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when... our planet began to heal.”

However, what came to mind instead was 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. I’ve written about it before (here), but it bears repeating:
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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.”
As wonderful as it is to see conservative Republican candidates win -- at least for those of us who share those beliefs -- there’s still much to be done. I’m not talking about preparing for 2012. Jesus didn’t say to the woman caught in adultery, “Go back to your life as it was before.” He said: “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 7:53-8:11). I’m so grateful to folks like Dr. Michael Youssef, who for the last several months up to today has been urging his congregation and listeners to pray for the election and our nation as a whole. But we can’t let it stop there.
Many times in recent months I’ve been reminded of a story my dad is fond of telling, of the man who was doing work on the roof of his barn. Suddenly he lost his footing and began slipping. As he slid toward the edge and certain death or serious injury, he cried out: “God, help me!” At that moment his pants leg got caught on a nail that was protruding from the roof. Once he had caught his breath, he said, “Nevermind, God, my pants just caught on a nail.”

The only thing that can save this nation from utter demise is for those of us who claim the name of Christ to humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways. Only then will He hear from heaven, forgive our sin and truly heal our land.