Holy Bible Online 
After the great effort of the people of Israel in building the temple in Jerusalem, the Lord of Hosts appeared to the king and gave him the conditions for His presence to remain in that place. More than building a temple, "the people who are called by His name" should build their lives in the Lord.
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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
- 2 Chronicles 7:14
To gain a better understanding of this passage, we must understand its context. The people of Israel were under the command of King Solomon, who finally managed to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Every involvement of the king and mobilization of the people had a purpose: to do God's will. After the construction, dedication, and consecration of the temple - which generated great jubilation in Israel - the Lord appeared to the king and answered his prayer.
God expresses His will to dwell among His people. He accepts the offering and effort of the people of Israel in building the temple: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices." The Lord speaks to Solomon, demonstrating His desire to bless and protect His people. But the permanence of His presence would require total dedication to Him and a change of old habits, as stated in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Our God is true and righteous; He makes clear the three necessary points for His covering to remain over His people: recognition of His greatness, seeking His presence, and turning from their ways.
If my people humble themselves and pray
A people who humble themselves become aware of their own frailty and recognize God's sovereignty. It is worthless to have resources, a great army, and the latest technology: a people - or a leader - who does not recognize God's power is subject to fall. Let us remember what happened with Egypt. God is Almighty!
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
- James 4:9-10
A people who humble themselves before God are exalted by Him. To humble oneself is to empty the heart of pride, and to cease relying solely on one's own strength. In this context, prayer becomes an act of humility and a means of entering into the presence of the Lord. When we are contrite in the presence of God, vanity is repelled, and our focus shifts solely onto the essential: the presence of God.
If my people seek my face
Seeking the face of God means having a deeper relationship with Him. To seek is to strive, to be proactive, and to take initiative. A people who believe in the Lord cannot just wait for God to fight for them in a carefree manner. We have a living God who wants to relate to His people.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
- Jeremiah 29:12-13
Seeking requires communion, effort, and dedication to Him. These are some of the factors that signal our commitment to God. One thing is certain: God commits Himself to those who are committed to Him. True seeking happens in spirit and truth. Each day we seek God more, we become intimate with Him and more integral. The way to seek this communion with God comes from reading and hearing His Word and putting faith into action through prayer.
If my people turn from their wicked ways
The consequence of truly seeking God is that when we do this we turn from our wicked ways. Doing this is important because wicked ways make us vulnerable to any kind of attack from the enemy. But in learning the ways of the Lord, we can discern that which separates us from Him, and our relationship with Him matures.
Avoid every kind of evil.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Turning from wicked ways also means abandoning old practices. It is to live in the novelty of the good news of the Lord. When we let go of everything that separates us from God, we are striving and seeking Him. To turn away is literally to turn away from wicked ways and align oneself with the ways of the Lord. Having made this choice, remaining in the presence of God involves identifying the traps that may separate us from His covering and moving forward, listening to His voice.
He heals and liberates His people
God is faithful, unlike man, He does not lie. God works miracles in the people who kneel, humble themselves, and turn away from wicked ways. Where God dwells there is healing and liberation! We must always be attentive so that He can act in our lives: each one examining himself, exhorting one another in love so that everyone may grow in spirit and truth.
Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance!
- Psalms 33:12
A people who have God as their leader have made a wise choice and the people who act according to the choice benefit from the fruits of the Lord's benevolence. We have great examples in the Word of God of peoples who submitted to the Lord and were blessed in unimaginable ways.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
- 1 Peter 2:9
When we are saved in Christ we are part of the people who are called by His name! And when we accept Jesus, we become part of this powerful nation against whom the gates of hell cannot stand. As a special people, we must persevere in praying and worshiping - so that God can work even more signs and wonders among us.
If you ever doubt how much God loves you, read here to see how special we are to God.