Scripture:
2 Chronicles 30:8-9 ESV
[8] Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. [9] For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.”
Observation:
Hezekiah started right at the beginning of his kingship. By putting the temple back together. Fixing the things that had been neglected. Rehanging the doors, calling the priests to consecrate themselves and the temple. He had a clear plan. GOD’S chosen people had not been doing the things they were told to do, and it showed. Hezekiah was not going to let that continue. After calling the priest to be consecrated and putting the temple back together, it was time to wake GOD’S people up. No more complacency. It was time to get back to what worked. Hezekiah sent out letters to be spoken to all of GOD’S people. RETURN TO THE LORD. Now is the time. I could almost hear the Harolder shouting out in the square. The Passover is coming. Let’s go to the temple. Don’t you remember how good life was? Get up, come on return to the LORD. Hezekiah was persistent, and the LORD rewarded him for it. At the end of my reading this morning, what I got to read was proof of that 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
Application:
I can’t tell you how many times in the past 14 years of walking with GOD I have relaxed and started doing things my way again. Only to find out that my way is still broken. I don’t believe there is ever a time that my way will get the results HIS way will. In fact, most of the time, my way hurts. Maybe not right away, but at some point. I believe we have to be diligent in our walk. Paul talks about running a race. I don’t know how much you know about running, but if you have ever done it, you know that you have to push past the desire to stop. Or relax because that is right about the time when the best results are about to take place. The enemy is crafty and subtle in his approach. If he can get you to relax or slow down, he can get you off track, and you won’t even see it coming. Compliance is dangerous. It’s one of the reasons Jesus tells us to pick up our cross daily and follow HIM. I say this so that we can all check ourselves. My question is, where have you started to relax and think… oh, I don’t have to do that all the time. I can go a few days without… (insert godly behavior here). This is my personal warning. Get back to what works. Get back to GOD. When Paul talks about running a race, he uses the words press on. That means when we want to quit… we can’t. Make a decision today to get back to your first love. PUT GOD first. I would be willing to say that if you do, HE will make sure your needs are met.
Prayer:
Father, this is our return to you. We are crawling up in your lap and saying Abba. We love you. Help us to see what we have started to slip away from so that we can get back on track. We want our lives to be a sweet aroma to you. A sacrifice of praise. We never want to get to the point where we think we can do it without you. You are our first love. let us return to that. We need you more than air. We can see that because you are the one that provides air to begin with. Our prayer today is that we seek your kingdom first. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray amen.