BECOMING INSTRUMENTS OF HEALING
How do nations come to an experience of healing? It takes a collective effort by those who belong to the Lord to effect transformation within their spheres of influence which then translates to a wider healing in their communities and nations. The Lord’s word to Solomon is striking,
‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ (2Chronicles7:14)
Those who belong to the Lord and have experienced true regeneration have a great responsibility to place themselves in total submission to the Lord, a state of humble obedience and repentance, that brings them in tune with God so that His healing can flow through them.
Once a believer positions himself in tune with God, his interactions with others and his lifestyle changes.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
To act justly is an injunction to demonstrate fairness or justice in all our interactions. True justice needs a reference point and that reference point is in the perfect nature of God. Without that reference point, justice can be maligned to the extent that a person who slaughters innocents can justify his actions. To act justly means to show compassion to children and the weak members of the society, to bear with one another patiently, to demonstrate meekness with your co-workers and so on. Within the spheres of influence and power that are given to men, justice, reflecting God’s nature is mandatory if healing is to take place.
Mercy or forgiveness, is a uniquely Christian concept. Jesus alone demonstrated and taught mercy and rightly so because it goes to the very heart of God. In Christ Jesus, we see mercy at its best as Jesus went to the cross and paid the ultimate price to forgive us our sins. We are asked to not just demonstrate mercy but love mercy. The illustration that comes to mind is that of the father in the story of the prodigal son, who despite the embarrassment caused and insults thrown at him by the son, still eagerly received him back with love and forgiveness. When mercy becomes the guiding principle, relationships are rejuvenated and healing follows.
To walk humbly with the Lord means to submit to God and acknowledge Him as the author of all things in one’s life. ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God’ (Psalms 20:7). It places oneself not as one exalted but as one who is dependent on God. When man adopts that attitude, he begins to look at others never in a derogatory fashion but with respect and compassion, which begets healing.
What is your experience of effecting healing within your spheres of influence? Be it your family or workplace or church or society, have you been able to see God’s healing flowing through you to transform those around you. If so, those are indeed the starting points for the healing of nations.
