Maybe it’s a good thing that many followers of
Jesus today use their cellphones for a lot of their Bible reading. I say that
because it’s rare to see people who have the kind of reverence for Scripture that
motivates them to treat a hard copy of the Bible with more respect &
consideration than they do their cellphone.
Or maybe I’m just too old school.
I was reading II Kings 22 today, the story of
King Josiah. The 2 preceding kings, his father & grandfather, failed to
follow God’s Word & lead their people in obedience to the covenant that God
had brought them into. Remarkably, Josiah ordered a restoration of the Temple,
which had over the last 2 generations been defiled & allowed to fall into disrepair
& misuse.
When those in charge of repairs discovered a
partial copy of the Law (very possibly the blessings & curses of Deuteronomy
28-30), they reported this to Josiah. “When the king heard the words of the
book of the law, he tore his clothes” (vs 11). This behavior was an expression
of sincere, desperate repentance. Josiah then sent representatives to a prophetess
named Huldah to inquire further of the Lord. Ultimately, this led to national renewal
& repentance that delayed God’s judgment for a little longer.
For a lot of reasons, we find it very easy to
take the Bible for granted. A couple of other major problem today are general biblical
illiteracy & intentional misuse of Scripture to advance a personal agenda.
The rediscovery of God’s Word in Josiah’s day
led to a repentance that brought about national renewal.
The Living God can do
it again in our generation. A confrontation with His word thru the working of
the Holy Spirit can bring us to a time of renewal & repentance. This can
& must touch those around us & the generation that will follow us.
We don’t have to tear our clothes like Josiah
did, but we do need to hear & respond to God’s Word as it convicts us.
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