On Sunday we looked at our identity as people of prayer. God’s people, who are called by His name, are to live in a relationship which involves listening as well as talking. We looked at 2 Chronicles 7:13-15, where God highlights our part in the relationship as well as promising His response of blessing if we do these 4 things:
1. Humble ourselves
2. Pray
3. Seek His face
4. Turn from our wicked ways
Humility pleases God. We do well to follow the example of Jesus, who washed His disciples’ feet (John 13, Philippians 2:1-11). When we serve God in humility, realising that greatness comes through lowliness, we reflect God’s way of doing things.
To pray is at the heart of our relationship, and we have been looking at Matthew 6 recently to see the framework of prayer and how not to pray!
To seek God’s face means we prioritise Him above everything and everyone else. (Jer 29:13) David shows us a desperation in his prayers (e.g. Ps 27, Ps 63) which reflects our hunger and thirst for God. Sometimes it’s as if He tests us at times to see how earnestly we will seek Him.
When God highlights sin in our lives, we must turn from those things in order to follow His ways. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus speaks to churches, commending what is good but rebuking what is wrong (the Ephesians’ lack of love, for example.) The only way back in these circumstances is through repentance.
When we live out our identity as God’s people who humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from sin, we will live in the favour of God.
