Words to Grow On

Archive Devotions

November 1, 2004

"Heal Our Land"

By:

Major Margaret K. Michaels

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chron. 7:14 (NKJ)

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 (NJV)

There are many dates that are indelibly impressed on our minds. We know where we were and what we were doing at the exact moment.

I was just about to turn off the television to go to the gym for aerobic swimming when my startled eyes saw the airplane going into the towers; September 11, 2001 . I stared in disbelief! Was it an accident? No! The second airplane just hit the towers again. No one will ever forget the sorrow, the unbelief, the horror, and the helplessness. The entire world grieved as we thought of the families, the children, and all who were affected by this tragic event. We were glued to our television screen watching all that was happening

The memorial services were held in many parts of the country. I watched the prayer service at the Washington Cathedral. There were many impressive guests who spoke but I will never forget watching Billy Graham. He had been ill for some period of time so he was assisted up the many steps of the Cathedral. He walked haltingly but with determination to the podium. His message was strong and clear as it rang out across the crowd. He was God's man for the hour calling our nation to repentance with the scripture "If my people, which are called by name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land."

This message goes back to the Old Testament. Have we always needed this message? Do we so often forget God and His goodness to us that we need to be reminded that He is God? The people in the day of Micah needed to hear this message. Micah was a simple man just going about his business when God called him and gave him a message. In his country at that time there was great oppression on the poor people. The rich were governing the land and their country was in turmoil. When Micah learned about what was happening he was indignant. He listened to God and followed God's admonition to teach great truths to the people. The people had a faulty conception of what God expected of them. They learned that in their fear they were sacrificing the wrong things. He explained " He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with they God."

The message is the same today. Jesus died on the cross for all sin......He lived a life of Justice, He always showed Mercy and He humbled himself in obedience to the will of His Father. We have a part in Healing our land in the lives we live each day.

This is a frightening time for all of us. War....Terrorists.....Cruelty.....Our prayer must be for World Peace. "Heal our Land".