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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.

—2 Chronicles 7:14

Since its founding in 1776, the United States has experienced unprecedented peace and prosperity. While certain situations and hardships have caused struggle and despair (the Civil War and the Great Depression come to mind), overall, the nation has been blessed.

Yet prosperity and complacency often seem to go hand in hand.

We need look no further than ancient Israel to learn this truth.

Israel had everything going for it. It was led by King Solomon, whose God-given wisdom was renowned throughout the world. When the Lord had asked Solomon what he wanted, the king said, “Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?” (2 Chronicles 1:10). The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request and promised him much more than this: “Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like” (2 Chronicles 1:12).

And throughout Solomon’s reign, the Lord fulfilled His promise.

Abundant Blessings from the Lord

Economically, Israel thrived, establishing lucrative trade partnerships with many other nations, including with Hiram, king of Tyre, who provided much material and many craftsmen to help build the temple. Israel’s fleets sailed the seas, and “once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys” (1 Kings 10:22). And when other rulers visited, they brought luxurious gifts. For instance, when the queen of Sheba arrived, to see for herself whether Solomon was as rich and wise as she’d heard, she came with an entourage that included “camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones” (2 Chronicles 9:1).

After seeing Solomon’s wealth and hearing his wisdom for herself, she proclaimed, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness” (2 Chronicles 9:8). Everything she saw and heard testified to God’s glory—not Solomon’s—a humbling reminder that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).

Solomon brokered peace with and subdued the surrounding nations, and the Israelites finally had rest after many decades of ongoing war. Israel’s army was mighty, with thousands of chariots and horsemen.

Most importantly, Solomon had built the temple, as God had promised to David: “Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever” (1 Chronicles 22:9–10). For the first time, the Israelites would have a permanent house of worship—a place where they were guaranteed the Lord’s presence, a place to offer sacrifices and receive forgiveness for their sins.

A King’s Heart Led Astray

With all of these abundant blessings during Solomon’s forty-year reign, you might think that the king and his subjects would be so grateful to the Lord that they’d worship Him and Him only.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

As we read in 1 Kings 11, Solomon wed many foreign women—seven hundred, in fact, from the very countries the Lord had told the Israelites not to intermarry with, such as Moab, Ammon, and Edom. These wives led him astray and “turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David” (1 Kings 11:4).

The consequences of Solomon’s refusal to heed the Lord in this regard were devastating to both him and the entire nation: “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen” (1 Kings 11:11–13).

Even with all the peace and prosperity, all the wealth and wisdom, Solomon fell away. And in the next generation, all but the tribe of Judah would be stripped from his son, Rehoboam.

The Path Toward Restoration

However, the Lord is merciful and just. At any time, Solomon could have repented, perhaps changing the course of history. Today’s verse tells us exactly what this process looks like—and it’s the same process any one of us can undertake.

We can humble ourselves, acknowledging that we’ve allowed our pride and self-reliance to undermine our reliance on the Lord, in His guidance and wisdom. We can pray, expressing our dependence on Him and seeking His will for our lives and our country. We can seek His face, pursuing an intimate connection with our Creator—the Creator of the entire universe. We can turn from our wicked ways, repenting with a truly contrite heart for our sins and confessing that we’re only saved through the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And how will the Lord reciprocate?

He will hear us from heaven, bending His ear to listen to the cries of His children (Psalm 116:2). He will forgive our sins, casting them “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). And He will heal our land.

Regardless of any turmoil and strife we endure as individuals or as a nation, we can always trust that genuine repentance opens the way to restoration.

Anticipating the Final Healing

Of course, as long as we live in a world with sin, any worldly healing received will be temporary. Therefore, we Christians long for and look toward the complete and final healing, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. At that time, every knee shall bow and tongue confess that He is Lord, and He shall make all things new (Philippians 2:10–11; Revelation 21:5). Come, Lord Jesus!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we know that we can always trust in the promises found in Your Word. Today, as we pray to You and seek Your face, may we repent of any wickedness in our own hearts and minds, and may our nation turn from any and all of its wicked ways. As we humbly come before Your throne of grace and mercy, we ask that You forgive our sins and heal our land, all for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.

For Further Reflection

• What are some of the “wicked ways” that the ancient Israelites needed to turn away from? What are some of the “wicked ways” our nation needs to turn away from?
• Although we’re guaranteed to have trouble in this world (John 16:33), in your mind, what would a “healed” nation look like?

Excerpt taken from One Nation Under God: 40 Devotions for Patriotic Women by Amanda C. Bauch (forthcoming November 11, 2025, from Post Hill Press)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version^®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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