Dealing with an infestation
Whenever I hold back the rain or send locusts to eat up the crops or send an epidemic on my people, if they pray to me and repent and turn away from the evil they have been doing, then I will hear them in heaven, forgive their sins, and make their land prosperous again. 2 Chronicles 7 : 13 - 14 (GNB) |
I think our passage this week is asking us to think about how we tackle the challenging times in our lives. Imagine that you are a farmer, your entire income for you and your family is reliant on the success of your harvest. If your crops were destroyed by a drought or by insect infestation you are bound to be feeling a mixture of anxiety and anger. Quite soon after the shock had set in you would probably (in your mind at least) want to blame someone.
You might blame others, you may think "after all, it must have been one of the neighbours farms that brought in the invading bugs" or possibly "industry has caused the drought through climate change". Maybe you would dismiss it as being a freak occurrence, or as an insurer might put it an "act of God". Alternatively, as the passage suggests take this notion literally, that God really was behind it.
This idea can be uncomfortable for us to think about. After all, our God is loving and kind, so surely wouldn't be this destructive in the lives of his people. However, this situation is the exact thing being discussed in our passage this week. However this isn't just a spiteful act by an almighty God, it is (admittedly stern) reminder by God to his people of who is really in control.
The passage talks about God using situations such as these as a way to nudge his people into living their lives in the way that he intended. A nudge for them to live out the purpose that had been prepared for them. Prompting them to think about what has happened, what needs to change and what amends need to be made with God. Once this has been sorted, the past is forgotten and God will bring prosperity and life back into that situation. Have a great week.
This week's song is Dynamite by Soul Survivor. |
Header image by: Chad Routh via Flickr