"It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"
Turning to God
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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14The context is Solomon dedicating the temple to God. Solomon has prayed and in response to his prayer God appeared to him and made him this promise. God’s love is often referred to as unconditional. As Philip Yancey so helpfully puts it: “There is nothing I can do to make God love me more. There is nothing I can do to make God love me less”. God’s love is not dependent on our performance.
Yet God’s promises are sometimes conditional. Here God promises forgiveness and healing but conditional on us humbling ourselves and turning from sin to God. Vera Sinton describes it as a fourfold process of repentance which involves:
1 Accepting God’s claim over us;
2 Having the humility to admit our failings;
3 Actively praying for a restored relationship;
4 Turning away from what we know to be wrong.
But remember, “Repentance is not simply a ‘once for all’ event – rather it is a continual alignment of the direction of our lives, so that we keep in step with God”. (John Stephenson)
Let us start our day by coming to God humbly acknowledging his authority and our need of forgiveness. Then go and give 100% in training, coaching, office work or whatever as those who are right with God and who are ready to love and serve him – and our team mates, colleagues etc in his name.