If we pray...

"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Ch 7:13–14 NASB95)

There is a pestilence in the land.  Covid-19 is spreading throughout the earth.  In His sovereignty God almighty has allowed this virus.  What can we do about it?  One thing we can do is pray.

IF…

• "My people, who are called my My name…  At the time of Solomon they were followers or Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Today we are followers of Christ.  We are called by His name- Christians.  The promise given in 2 Chronicles 7 is given to a certain category of people- Christians.  If Christians do the following things, God promises several results.  What must Christians do?
• "humble themselves"… Put an end to self reliance and pride.  Realize how little we can control in this life- the weather, disease, the economy.  Acknowledge God as sovereign over the affairs of men and nations.  Take man off the throne.  Let Christ reign in our hearts and lives.
• "and pray"… Turn from self to God.  Trust Him for the solutions needed in our world.  Get on our knees and really pray.  Express our deep-felt needs to almighty God and expect His good, merciful, and gracious response.
• "and seek My face"… As we pray we draw near to God.  Our desire is so much more than simply answers to prayer, it's experiencing the love of God in a deeply satisfying way.  Like little children sitting on their father's lap.  We seek so much more than His gifts, we seek Him, to truly know Him and love Him.
• "and turn from their wicked ways" Repent.  Acknowledge to God our sinfulness.  Admit the ways we have offended Him by our attitudes and actions.  Remember sins of omission as well as comission. Change directions.  By an act of the will determine to live to please God in all things. Claim His love and forgiveness.  Confess on behalf of yourself and your people.

Then…

• "I will hear from heaven"… God always hears the contrite and repentant.  If we are serious about humbling ourselves and turning to God from sin, then He always hears us.
• "will forgive their sin"… Forgiveness and repentance comes first.  There are many in our day talking about prayer.  They may be missing the most important step, cleaning up their act.  Times like these serve a wonderful purpose.  They can bring times of cleansing and refreshment to our walk with God.  Sinners can be converted to Christ. Broken relationships can be restored.  There can be healing in the land.
• "will heal their land."  Our land needs healing, and needs it badly.  It's far more than the deadly virus in our cities and towns, it's also the divisiveness, the lying, the greed, the immorality.  I'm writing from America.  Much of this is true no matter where you live.  The world is desperate for a touch from God. A strong touch.  Let's pray toward that end. Let's really pray!

Lord, stop this virus.  Stop it dead in it's tracks.