AUGUST 17 READING…2 CHRONICLES 29-30 & PSALM 95
Hezekiah was a good king, who had a heart for God. For him it was not just a theoretical exercise of theological beliefs…his faith drove him to action. As king he had the position to make right what had been made wrong…and he had the responsibility to do so. Right from the beginning of his reign as king of Judah, he began to repair the dilapidated Temple. For Hezekiah though, it was not just a matter of refurbishing run-down buildings, but a complete restoration of the spiritual condition of the nation. The temple had been defiled by evil kings and priest, and Hezekiah had the temple purified, and readied for the purpose it was built. Genuine worship was reinstituted in the Temple, and the king brought back the celebration of Passover, which had been neglected. God heard the prayers of Hezekiah, and the Lord forgave and healed the people of Judah. The Spirit of the Lord was moving in such a powerful way among the people that the celebration of the feast was extended…with the king providing extra animals to be sacrificed to the Lord. In Psalms, we are told to come before the Lord with song, and to shout joyfully to the Lord, for He is the rock of our salvation, and we should be the most thankful and obedient people on the earth. He is worthy of our worship. Not some empty expression of religion, nor some show that merely tantalizes the flesh…but, a time where we come before Him in worship, where we bow down before Him kneeling before our Maker…for He is God! We are called to keep our hearts receptive to the voice of the Lord…for when we stray from Him, it always begins in our hearts.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…2 CHRONICLES 31-32 & PSALM 112