United Fresno

“’[If] 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, forgive their sin and will heal their land’” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

My wife and I are going to be doing the Daniel fast during the third week of the fast (remember, I’m writing this a little early). I would imagine that, by this time, I will be starting to miss meat, carbs, etc. It’s going to be an amazing challenge, but I wouldn’t call it a problem. My stomach might have a hard time to adjusting to nothing but fruits and vegetables, but there are worse things…

Based on what God is saying in 2 Chronicles, it’s pretty obvious what our primary issue is— our sin issue. Now, I’m not going to pretend that everyone who reads this blog truly understands what that means. I feel like (since it’s such a huge part of this verse) that it’s fair to go through a quick refresher.

Because of sin, man cannot be connected with a holy God. Boom. There it is. If life is all about being close with God, if life is all about being like Jesus, well, we’re already bad off from the beginning. But, then again, God’s grace was always the solution.

For those people in Solomon’s time, they didn’t know where their forgiveness was going to come from exactly; but they held God at His Word. They knew that if they sought after God and humbled themselves that God would answer with forgiveness.

It’s really no different today. We have to be humble enough to admit that we need Jesus, that we need the Cross. Are you humble enough to admit that? We have to pray and seek God’s face in and through the moment that probably best captures God’s true countenance— the Cross. We have to look at the Cross. Not the wood but the event. We have to see what Christ has done. We have to see who God is in that. Jesus’ blood was the payment, the solution, to our biggest problem— separation from God. If you have never prayed to accept that gift, understand the hugeness of that decision. If you have already done so, praise Christ for the life that is in Him!

“Father, like the song says, ‘lead me to the Cross.’” Help me to understand the weight of what Your Son did when Jesus died. Help me to meditate on Your love for us that You would die like that. Father, You are the solution to our greatest need. I pray that I would understand that life is only possible through You. As we get closer to camp, God, I pray that You would reveal Your heart to all those who search for life. Amen.”