Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly (Joe 2:15).
Our nation is in deep decline by nearly every measure. God’s hand of blessing appears to have lifted, or be lifting from America. The “curses” that Scripture warns will come upon nations that abandon God’s commandments (Dt 28) have nearly all come upon us.
God’s people hold the key to national healing. Most of us know the “key verse” (2 Chr 7:14) by heart, but we (those who claim Jesus as Lord), have obviously not yet fulfilled God’s requirement to heal our land. And our nation’s troubles are escalating at dizzying speed. Of course our political leaders bear much responsibility, as do our leaders in business, education, the media, the arts, etc. But it is our church leaders whom God has charged to lead His people in humble repentance, prayer and seeking God’s face, promising to heal our land if we will.
Instead of leadership and preaching God’s word as it applies to the conspicuous issues of our day, we see far too much apathy, hopelessness, seeming blindness, detachment, even escapism in our churches. Scandal and hypocrisy, not holiness and Biblical love, are what many people see when they look at us. Whole denominations have abandoned the Word of God as their standard for faith and practice. In many churches the word “repent” is rarely spoken. When God told the prophet Joel to call the nation of Judah to observe a Solemn Assembly (see Joel 1:13-14; 2:12-18), He called the entire nation: men, women and children to repentance, but He especially singled out the spiritual leaders, calling them to extraordinary repentance and prayer (Joel 1:13; 2:17-18). This is the purpose of the Call2Fall – to promote pastor-led solemn assemblies in America’s churches so that God can and will hear our prayers, and keep His promise to heal our land.
- God, please stir pastors, churches and individual Christians across America to embrace the Call2Fall this year. May this day of humble repentance and seeking Your face, become a habit throughout the year. May the pastors and leaders in our churches, led and empowered by your Holy Spirit, motivate our generation to wholeheartedly return to God and in the process transform our nation, with all the many spheres of our culture, into a nation, yet again under God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
