Josiah was eight years old when he became king. 2 Chronicles 34:1
When I was eight years old, I learned how to ride my Big Wheel down the steep hill in the back alley without skidding into the cross traffic of Leiden Road.
Once I get past the inferiority complex, I find that there is a lot to learn from the example of Josiah. Josiah was a product of generations of evil men (see 2 Chronicles 33). And yet when Josiah was a mere teenager he “began to seek the God of his father David” (2 Chron 34:3). Nothing about the upbringing of Josiah nor the culture in which he lived, would encourage him to seek God. But Josiah chose to follow God anyway.
Other than that “becoming-king-at-the-age-of-eight” thing, my circumstances compare favorably to Josiah’s:
- I was born into a family that DID point me toward the God of Israel
- I have ready access to the scriptures to discover God’s nature for myself
- I live in a community that includes examples of godly men and women
But do I choose to seek God as Josiah did? Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.
Worse, there are times when I allow limitations of my heritage to affect my faithfulness. If Josiah didn’t use this excuse, I sure can’t.
God allowed Josiah to experience the blessing as a result of his faithfulness:
Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace.” 2 Chronicles 34:26-28a
Lord,
Grant me the faith of Josiah to seek you regardless of my circumstances. Help me to overcome any perceived limitations of my past, to be of greatest service to you. May I experience the peace and blessing that you provide to all of your children.
Greg (gmd40187)
Sixty-six books in a year 