Root 66 – 2 Chronicles

Today we looked at the book of 2 Chronicles, the final book in the Hebrew Scripture (TaNaK) and the last of the Samuel – Kings – Chronicles set of books in our English Bibles. 1 and 2 Chronicles retell the history of Israel with a special spiritual emphasis as opposed to the political focus found in Samuel and Kings.

2 Chronicles 7:11-22 narrates God’s visit to Solomon after Solomon has completed building the temple. Verse 14 is especially well known and is often heard in prayer meetings and as a call for us to pray. It is important to realize that this verse is God’s response to Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6. Solomon prays in a posture of worship and humility, and models the kind of prayer that God honors and responds to.

Read through 2 Chronicles 7:14 below and consider the verbs in each line. What is God calling us to do? What does God promise to do?

IF: God calls his people to action
IF my people who are called by the my name – We come to the Father, in the name of the Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is because God is Trinity that we are able to approach Him in prayer.
…humble themselves – our prayer must be in a posture of humility and worship, not simply repeated a formula or demanding that God help us, but truly recognizing his beauty and glory and our dependence on him. We should have bended knee and spirit!
…and pray – there are times and seasons that we pray in different ways.
…and seek my face – it is God’s face, not His “stuff” that we ought always to seek after. We want to look at the beauty of God and seek after it with all our heart. God’s face is the face of grace and mercy and love, for He always loves to pour out favor on His people.
…and turn from their wicked ways, – prayer always involves a turning away from something, and a turning towards God. True revival will never happen without confession and repentance. We must ask God to draw our own hearts to him and seek out whatever wicked ways we have in ourselves.

THEN: God promises a response
THEN…I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
God has promised to hear and respond to his people when we pray in humble dependence. You can think of the word “heal” in this verse like repairing a ripped seam in an article of clothing. God heals that which is broken, but only when we come to him in humility and repentance.

Take Action
How will you commit yourself to respond to this call to prayer? When we truly understand and acknowledge our dependence upon God and his glory, we will humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our sin. Here are some suggestions for this week.

Pray the Lord’s Prayer every day this week. This is the way Jesus instructed his disciples, and it provides a guide for us as we come to God.
Pray for Joy Prom every day this week.
Come pray with the body of Christ on Tuesday morning, whether for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or all 60 minutes. Join with us in a posture of humility, prayer, and repentance.
Walk the Prayer Path and pray for Carmel and for Matthews.
Pray daily with and for your family members.

To Discuss Today:

Read through Solomon’s prayer in Chapter 6. Find the If-Then statements that Solomon makes and talk about each one. How does this fit with 2 Chronicles 7:14?
Do you find it difficult to approach God with a posture of humility? Why or why not? Talk about what humility and dependence before God might look like in your life.
How is the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray? Is He softening your heart? Are you feeling drawn towards praying in humble dependence? How will you commit yourself to respond to this call to prayer this week?