​

“If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health."

2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭13-14 (MSG‬‬)

​
I have heard this story told again and again by my former students.

The worst day they ever experienced in my classroom was the day after I had an awful report from a substitute teacher. My students had been rude, disrespectful, and downright mean to her. So I wrote instructions on the board and made them work silently the entire class. I did not acknowledge them, speak to them, or interact with them at all. The students still talk about how piercing the silence was to their little souls.

Even if I had been angry or yelled or implemented a severe consequence, they would have preferred it to my ear splitting silence. But the day after, when their hearts had realized the gravity of their actions, brought a sweet reconciliation, the silence relented and their souls found a renewed peace.

We are a people who long to be heard.

From the moment we are born we cry out longing for someone to respond to our cries, our needs. In our suffering, we need someone to bear witness to our sorrow. In our joy, we need to spread the good news from the rooftops. Our deepest desire is for connection, one where we are not only heard, but helped.

So we cherish the promises of scripture that remind us that God will turn His ear toward us, He will hear our cries. How precious that God promises not only to listen, for that in and of itself is a gift, but also to act on our behalf. He will hear from heaven, He will forgive our sins, and He will heal our land.

We see this same posture in Jesus.

Remember back to the lame man lowered before Him in the crowded room. We see Him turn toward the hurting. We see Him offer forgiveness, stunning the crowd around Him. Then Jesus offers physical healing.

This rhythm—hear, forgive, heal—is important because it helps us order our hearts in the right place.

Often we cry out to the Lord not out of humility, but out of agony. We selfishly want the suffering to stop, the consequence to cease, so we call out to the Lord desperate for relief.

When He hears our cry, God does indeed turn toward us, ready to listen, eager to see if our hearts have changed. If we come in humility, aware and sorrowful of our sin, then the offer of forgiveness provides the deepest sigh of relief for our souls.

We have come into the Presence of the Lord, and we have not been turned away. Rather we have been cleansed and invited in. If we come in humility, this offering brings the greatest joy, and while we still long for God to heal the land, we are not so desperate for it.

We are with the One who can hold it all together.

Yet in His goodness, God does promise healing, He does promise to relent, He does promise redemption. Because our eyes have been unveiled, the sin removed by our simple act of humility, we can see clearly the goodness of God’s redemptive work.

When we come to God with a humble posture, we are able to experience the goodness of His attentive presence, soak in the gift of amazing grace, and appreciate the beautiful way of making all things new.

But our hearts must be humble, our souls emptied of their arrogance, in order for us to experience the richness of all that God offers.
If we come with pride in our hearts, unwilling to see our need of One who hears, forgives, and heals, we cannot deeply experience those good things when we are offered them.

The posture of humility unlocks our hearts so that we might receive God’s abundant goodness.

It is easy to want the consequence of sin to end. It is much harder to accept the role you played in creating that outcome. And it is more challenging still to go before a holy God and admit your wrongdoing.

And yet, we approach a tender God, a God who is bent low to listen, who humbly came to this earth Himself, empty-handed and needy. This is the God who hears our cries. This is the God who responds with tender mercy. And this is the God who is making all things knew.
We can come humbly with confidence before Him, and He will never give us the silent treatment.

PRAYER:

"O Gracious Lord, listening God, teach our hearts to come to You. May we see the depths of our sin, and yet feel unashamed. May we know with certainty that we may come humble, but we will never be humiliated. May we see the ripple effects of our wrongdoing, and yet be certain of the One who will heal our land. You invite us to come broken and promise we will never be turned away. Lord, in our humility, open our eyes to see the richness of Your presence, the freedom of Your forgiveness, and the depth of Your redemptive work in this land. You honor humility, for You are humble of heart. Amen"

.​
​STUDY & REFLECTION:

Read 1 Peter 5:6-11.

How does this passage reflect the same promises as 2 Chronicles 7:14? What guarantees of gentle presence does Peter mention? Where do you see forgiveness offered? What healing is promised?

​
​LIVING UNVEILED AND FREE:

Spend some time journaling about the word humility. What is your initial gut response to it? When you consider humility do you fear humiliation? How has your humility been received by your earthly father? Your spouse? Your friends? Then close your eyes and imagine God’s listening response to your humility. What is His posture toward you? In what ways do you experience His forgiveness and healing?
​
​
​

Meet Our Devotional Writer:

Katie Sue Garcia

Hi, I'm Katie Garcia. I’m a wife of 19 years and a mother of three. I have a gifted and spirited daughter, a brilliant son on the Autism spectrum, and a three year old who also keeps me on my toes. Before becoming a stay at home mom, I was a High School English teacher, and I sure do miss working with teenagers! I still love to read and write and to teach kiddos to love to read and write. I am a teacher at heart. My family started in Tucson, but we currently make our home in Chandler, AZ. I’m afraid I can’t recommend the heat, but I do dearly love our church community. I have been a writer my whole life but started a blog the year I became a teacher. I love to write about scripture and the ways the Lord speaks to me through His word. After losing a child 12 years ago, I found the heart of my writing in the beauty of lament, and the Hope of God meeting me in my sorrow through His promises. I am continuously grateful for the words God has given us, and the ones He gives me specifically to grieve, to praise, and to adore Him.

CONNECT WITH US:

How did today's devotion impact you? Click on the button below to share with us or leave a prayer request. We would love to hear form you!

​

​

Copyright 2023. Unveiled and FREE. All rights reserved.

www.valerielmcmahon.com.

​

​