"If" and "Then", plus "Now"

“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 will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14-16 (NKJV)

These words, which God spoke to Solomon, could teach us all a very valuable lesson. When we read the Word we do not realize that God’s response to us, for the most part, is conditional. 

Throughout Scripture we come across those verses that tell us that if we do, God will act. For example, Jesus lets us know in John 15:7 that “if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon”(MSG) – that’s conditional. 

Here’s a hint: whenever you see the words “if” and “then”, you can be sure that it’s letting you know that, if you do this then God will do that. Such sentences or statements are contingent on the choices you make and express certainty of God’s response to your choices. 

So let us look at what God told Solomon and is telling us via 2 Chronicles 7:14-16…

Your Part:

Humble yourself – you have to get to a place of humility, like the woman with the issue of blood (see Luke 8:43-48) or the Prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-24), where you come to your senses from deep within you and you get low before the Lord, it is an act of desperation where you throw off any shame or inhibitions and come to Him just as you are…naked, exposed, bleeding, dirty.

Pray – pour out your heart before the Lord, sincere and genuine, a repentant cry (see Acts 3:19)

Seek God’s face – search for His face and not His hand; you’re not looking for what God can give you, His presents, but rather you’re looking for His presence – an intimate connection, revelation and knowledge of who God is; to encounter His manifest presence in your life.

Turn from your wicked ways – speaks of repentance, going in the opposite direction to the ways of the world (sin) towards the spiritual and godly; a turning away from self to God; from the evil intent devised in your heart (see Jeremiah 17:9)

God’s Part:

God will hear from heaven – His dwelling place, throne-room, realm of grace, the spiritual realm (see 1 Kings 8:30)

God will forgive your sin – 1 John 1:9 (NLT) "if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 

God will heal your land – He will bring restoration, and renewal, not just to your physical land but more importantly to what land symbolizes: your heart, your godly inheritance and everything concerning you.

Then there’s the extra...

Beloved, when you do your part, God doesn’t just do His part as promised, He always gives you a little something more – that’s where “Now” comes in.

The Plus Now:

God’s eyes will be opened – He is keeping watch over you

God’s ears will be attentive to your prayers – He’s always going to listen to your prayers especially

God places you on the list of the chosen and sanctification takes place

God will continuously be looking out for you, He’ll place His seal on you and His ceaseless love will be tangible in your life.

It is your willingness to obey that brings these rewards and, not only in heaven, but “now in this time” – “Now” rewards.

Look at what happened to Job when he finally understood what God was showing him and did what he needed to do, “God restored his fortune—and then doubled it!” (Job 42:10 MSG)

And, see what Jesus tells us will happen when we let go of certain things for God’s sake, “They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times” (see Mark 10:29-30). 

So, do not be reluctant to do your part, even when it makes no sense, because everything God tells you to do is always for your best and born out of His great love for you. 

Know that if you fulfill your part, then you can be certain that God will fulfill His part and after that even more.

Amen†

"If" and "Then", plus "Now"

Shelley Johnson March 6, 2017