I have had a strange past few weeks. Tuesday morning we left for a family vacation. Wednesday we were deep in the earth marveling at the underground masterpieces of Carlsbad Caverns . Thursday we marveled at the mountainous splendors high above the earth in northern New Mexico
(I felt a fearful respect- I was awed, but there was no love in that respect. I only wanted out of that creature’s presence. I knew it did not have my best interests at heart. I knew it held no particular love or understanding of me. I wonder if that is how the unrighteous feel in God’s presence- and by unrighteous, I mean those who have not accepted Christ’s offer to make us right with God.)
Saturday we hiked and beheld a different kind of majesty from red rock cliffs that overlooked green fields flanking the Pecos River
Today I was blessed again to be surrounded by the loveliness wrapped within children as I participated in a good news club. God has dazzled me with his wonders- above, below and within.
And yet I still recall the price of those wonders. The hiking was hard on my little ones. The bear brought fear and danger. The car ride: full of crying and complaining from the back seat and eye rolling and muttering from the parents trying to remain patient in the front seat. Days filled with heat, sleepless nights of cold, packing and unpacking, changed plans, the list could go on. I am not ignorant of the sacrifices that make the journey possible. And yet, those petty inconveniences fade over time and I am left with the memories that shine most brilliantly. For me, the joy remains and the rest is swept away.
My point? God’s joy requires a little work.
His burden may be light, but it is not for the faint of heart. It will never be found by those who “… do not cry out to me [God] from their hearts but wail upon their beds.” (Hosea 7:14).
I look to Hezekiah to instruct me about the painful process of seeking righteousness, with joy as the final byproduct in II Chronicles 28- 30. Judah Israel
Finally a hero arrives on the scene. Hezekiah at 25 years old, serves God as his “father David had done” (29:2) I found the comment interesting. For those that do not have a father worth imitating- we can claim a father within our lineage that is worth imitating. It is just up to use to discover that information. If we are Christians we are adopted sons of Abraham- so we share in the lineage of Christ. While all the examples but the life of Jesus are imperfect, there are so many records worth imitating within the pages of the bible. Hezekiah is one of those.
I learn Hezekiah
1. opened the temple doors. (vs. 3)
2. repaired them. (vs. 3)
3. invited others to embark upon the journey. (vs. 4)
4. removed all defilements (vs. 5,)
5. Analyzed the past. The past analysis helped explain the present situation. (vs. 6-8)
6. Made a new covenant (vs. 10)
This process of recruiting and encouraging others to join took time. The consecration of people and the temple took time. It was not hurried even to observe the Passover on time. In fact Passover was delayed for a month I learned from my study bible notes.
Next
- The people rejoiced together at what God had accomplished. (vs. 36)
The result? Unity for the kingdom, “great joy” 30:26, thanksgiving, singing praises, generous giving.
I think we should go through the same process in our hearts as individuals- then in our homes, in our church, and in our community.
I must:
1. Open my heart to worship. I believe this happens by asking the Holy Spirit to prepare me to worship God.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to mend any bitterness, anger or sin that prevents pure worship.
3. Actively pursue others to share the spiritual journey with. We talked about all the kings that started off right, but failed to “destroy the high places”. Here we see Hezekiah recognizing from the start that the task of restoration is too big for him. The other Kings tried to do it all themselves. They managed to destroy idols in a surge of strength, but they failed to lead their country in the tedious process of true change. God desires us to have community and to work together for his glory.
I find it astonishing that this recruitment comes right smack in the middle of the messy restoration. Hezekiah did not wait until the temple was clean enough to ask others to join the vision. We cannot wait until we are good enough, smart enough, brave enough, organized enough, happy enough, talented enough, or even until we have enough time.
4. If the Holy Spirit reveals an area defiling our walk, we have to remove it with God’s strength.
5. Part of removing the defilements may involve analyzing our past- to discover the foundations for the problem. This is not to lay blame on our past or excuse our present behavior because of what “our parent’s did to us”. In fact, Hezekiah doesn’t mention problems within the relationship between him and his parents, but between his parents and God.
6. Make a new commitment to God- allowing for the realistic amount of time that is necessary for God to change our hearts and lives.
- Rejoice!
I want to comment about how this process worked in my own life with a specific personal example, so I hope to add a comment later…
I welcome your comments and discussion.
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