wearing sackcloth and ashes

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Isaiah 37:1-38:22. The king hears the news that Isaiah has told them that God is unhappy with their actions and the kingdom will be destroyed. So the king tore his own clothes, but on "burlap" or sackcloth, and he and his leading men all repented and asked for forgiveness.

Can you imagine that happening today? Hard to imagine. We think of the kings in the Old Testament as being really evil and corrupt, but when they heard God's prophets, many of them responded by repenting, saving their nation.

Today, we don't have many government leaders that even acknowledge God's existence, let alone lead us in repentance. But that doesn't mean that we normal people can't. Let's lead the way, pray for God's mercy on our country, and be the salt and light that they need.

God, thanks for calling us to repent on behalf of our nation. Please touch the hearts of our leaders.