As I've followed the news reports over the last few days concerning Zimbabwe, my heart breaks. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is making his way through Europe and the United States looking for additional funding. He is hearing the same message over and over again, "no more funds until we see significant change." This has to be disappointing news. At the same time, today the BBC reported that the number of orphaned children in Zimbabwe has now increased to near 1.8 million! It's a tragic situation really.

The pressure within the nation is continuing to build and very little help is coming from the outside. What is going on? Where is God in all this? From my perspective, He's standing right there waiting to help. What is He waiting on? I believe He is waiting for the people of Zimbabwe (as a nation) to turn to Him for help. Europe, China nor the United States is going to Save Zimbabwe! More money in itself is not going to fix Zimbabwe's problems, history testifies to that reality.

In the 1970's the people of Zimbabwe turned to Robert Mugabe for deliverance. He got lots of money! While he may have delivered them from one oppressor, due his lack of humility and by not turning his heart toward God, he became corrupted by the power of political position and has become himself an oppressor. He will answer for much before God very soon.

We have a historical record in the Bible of another ruler who was entrusted by God with leading a nation. He like Robert Mugabe was given the power of great influence. His government prospered beyond measure. What was the difference between Solomon and Robert Mugabe? God made a promise to King Solomon and he took Him up on it:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (II Chronicles 7:14)

Solomon decided to take God up on His promise and not only humbled himself, but brought the whole nation before God and they too humbled themselves before Him. Their act of humility released God to do what had always been in His heart which was to bless His people and heal their land.

It really doesn't get much more straight forward. Transformation always starts in the heart with having the right attitude which is humility. It then requires three actions; praying, seeking and turning. This is the outworking of true humility as it acknowledges that we need God's help and are powerless to bring about true and meaningful change without it. It also requires another action on our part which is to turn away from the things that got us into trouble in the first place. Another word for this is repentance. 

God then promises that if He sees our heart of humility and our commitment to change by praying, seeking and turning He will hear, forgive and heal the land. I think for all of us that love the people and land of Zimbabwe we have a very clear promise from God as to how we can begin to transform the nation. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that God has an amazing love for the people of Zimbabwe. I also know that He has a destiny for them to fulfill as a nation.

My suggestion to Zimbabwe's leadership is if you want to see your nation transformed, lay down your political, tribal and religious agendas and bring the whole nation together before God and humble yourselves before Him and each other. Once there, pray, seek and turn and He will hear, forgive and heal your land.