Here is the watershed in every life: “if you walk before Me” or “if you turn away” (2 Chron 7:17, 19).
God not only hears our prayers, but He answers, too—in this case, 13 years later! Solomon had emphasized the keeping power of God. Thankfully He keeps both His “covenant and mercy” (2 Chron 6:14). That is, when we obey Him, we reap the rich benefits of His covenant promises to us. When we disobey Him, although He chastens us, He also keeps showing us His mercy. Solomon knew this, and also knew that the problem wouldn’t be God keeping His word, but the people keeping theirs! He tried to think of every possible way the Israelites could get into trouble, and then asked God for His intervention in that particular situation. Ah yes, God is not only the ultimate Promise Keeper, but also the consummate Interventionist. What if there are neighbor disputes (vv 22-23), military defeats (vv 24-25, 34-35), agricultural nightmares (vv 26-31), or even foreign captivity (vv 36-39)? What then? The Lord appears to Solomon in the night hours and answers, “I have heard your prayer” (7:12). What will be His answer to the many desperate problems the king anticipates because of Israel’s future waywardness? For, says Solomon, “there is no one who does not sin” (6:36). Here is the Lord’s storied response: “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” (7:14). In two words—Get serious! Get serious about My holy name, about your humble estate, about prayer access to heaven, about the delight of intimacy with Me, about your sins—and then get serious about correcting them. If so, said God, I will hear and help you. Yes, there IS a way back to God!