Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - A PROMISE

A PROMISE

Every day in the news we read or see about the multiple problems besetting the world. And in spite of the efforts of man to control and remedy these difficulties, it only seems that everything is getting worse; from increasing wildfires, to widespread floods, and worsening windstorms. Climate change certainly has a role but is it occurring only because of the use of fossil fuels or are there other possible reasons and activities of man about which we should be concerned? After all, this is not the first time that catastrophic problems have beset nations and the world. We were warned in Deuteronomy, Chapters 28-30, about the blessings and curses that would come if we adhered to or failed to follow the word of God.

…[I]t shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, 

to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes 

which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you… 

(Deuteronomy 28:15)

Many times in the Old Testament the Israelites turned from God and went their own way. And many times they ended up in difficulty before turning back to God and allowing Him to help with and rectify their problems. This happened time and time again and God made this promise to His 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land. 

(2 Chronicles 7:14)

So, this really means that if we are willing to admit that we cannot solve these problems ourselves and acknowledge the need for God in our deliberations, and communicate with Him in an honest and sincere way, then we will see more of our troubles solved. But it also infers that we must be willing to change our thinking and direction by turning from the way in which we are at present heading. If we, in sincerity, pray in an attitude of contrition and are willing to change our ways as a nation, then the promise is that God will bring healing to our land.

We are told that God is never changing, but do the promises of the Old Testament still have credence today? Does God still respect a leader and a nation that is willing to do what is requested in 2^nd Chronicles?

During the American Civil War, the Union army was not doing well and it seemed for a time as if the Confederate States would prevail. Abraham Lincoln called the nation to a national day of prayer on April 30^th, 1863. In this prayer he stated the following:

It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, 

to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness. 

…I do by this my proclamation…set apart Thursday, the 30^th day of April,1863, 

as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer…

…in keeping the day holy to the Lord and devoted to the humble discharge 

of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion*

On May 1^st ,1863 the Union Army had its first victory at Fort Gibson and went on to win further victories leading up to the Battle of Vicksburg and the turning of the war. Just a coincidence or the fulfilment of a promise?

During the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, Americans were taken hostage by Iran. They were held for 444 days. On the eve of the inauguration of President Ronald Regan he gave a speech in which he recalled the admonition of the pilgrim founder John Winthrop in 1630.

The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God 

in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, 

we shall be made a story and a byword through the world…

And let us resolve they will say of our day and our generation 

that we did keep faith with our God…**

On the day of his inauguration, President Reagan placed his hand on the Bible opened to the verse of 2nd Chronicles 7:14. On that same day, it was announced that the hostages held for so long had been released. Again, just a coincidence?

We have been accustomed for so long to believe that we have all the answers, and can just do things our own way, that we have essentially removed God from any deliberations. We just rely on ourselves and on science to try and solve all our problems. Perhaps we should consider the words of a scientist, Albert Einstein who wrote the following:

Everyone who is seriously engaged in the pursuit of science 

becomes convinced that the laws of nature manifest the existence of a spirit 

vastly superior to that of men, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers 

must feel humble.***

If being humble before God, praying, and turning from our present ways will help to fulfil God’s promise to heal our land, then it is something we should very seriously start to think about.

• from the Harbinger II by Jonathan Cahn pg. 246
• * ibid pgs. 250-251
• ** as quoted in God and Stephen Hawking by John C. Lennox pg. 44