August 1
2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21; Romans 15:1-22; Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 20:13-15
Hezekiah lived in an unprecedented time. The northern kingdom of Israel had been taken into exile by Assyria. He watched his father Ahaz build altars to other gods, sacrifice his own children on the altar, and rip Solomon’s magnificent temple to shreds, giving the gold and worship items to the king of Assyria as an appeasement offering. Rather than follow his father’s example, Hezekiah encouraged a return to God and rallied the nation of Judah to come celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. However, it had been so long since the people had worshiped God, the priests and the people were ceremoniously unclean. So, one month later than the normal time of celebrating the Passover, unclean people “ate the Passover, contrary to what was written” (2 Chronicles 30:18). As they celebrated the Passover, they were reminded of two things: the origins of Passover the night before the Israelites fled Egypt and the foundation of their own nation.
In the Passover celebration, the Israelites had a dilemma – their hearts were right, but their observance was wrong (unclean people and the wrong date). So Hezekiah prayed, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary” (2 Chronicles 30:18-19). The LORD heard and healed the people.
Are we ever like the Israelites? We worship, but our minds are on our next project, or sick child, or next business meeting. We sometimes sing, but only mouth the words. We give our tithes, but a little grudgingly. We see others in need, but we ignore the opportunity to give our gifts to them. We speak to our friends, but ignore or gossip about another. This is not the unity Paul encourages in Romans 15.
How do we take care of our dilemma? We pray a form of Hezekiah’s prayer, God, who is full of mercy and grace, forgive us who desire to seek you especially when we do not come with sincerity and a committed heart to worship you. Or we can pray as the psalmist, “Be true to your name, LORD, by forgiving each one of my terrible sins” (Psalm 25:11, CEV). Only then can we experience the sweet trusting relationship with God which David described in Psalm 25.
“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5)
Question of the day: What motives/actions do we need to change to make our hearts more Christ-like?
Hezekiah lived in an unprecedented time. The northern kingdom of Israel had been taken into exile by Assyria. He watched his father Ahaz build altars to other gods, sacrifice his own children on the altar, and rip Solomon’s magnificent temple to shreds, giving the gold and worship items to the king of Assyria as an appeasement offering. Rather than follow his father’s example, Hezekiah encouraged a return to God and rallied the nation of Judah to come celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. However, it had been so long since the people had worshiped God, the priests and the people were ceremoniously unclean. So, one month later than the normal time of celebrating the Passover, unclean people “ate the Passover, contrary to what was written” (2 Chronicles 30:18). As they celebrated the Passover, they were reminded of two things: the origins of Passover the night before the Israelites fled Egypt and the foundation of their own nation.
In the Passover celebration, the Israelites had a dilemma – their hearts were right, but their observance was wrong (unclean people and the wrong date). So Hezekiah prayed, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary” (2 Chronicles 30:18-19). The LORD heard and healed the people.
Are we ever like the Israelites? We worship, but our minds are on our next project, or sick child, or next business meeting. We sometimes sing, but only mouth the words. We give our tithes, but a little grudgingly. We see others in need, but we ignore the opportunity to give our gifts to them. We speak to our friends, but ignore or gossip about another. This is not the unity Paul encourages in Romans 15.
How do we take care of our dilemma? We pray a form of Hezekiah’s prayer, God, who is full of mercy and grace, forgive us who desire to seek you especially when we do not come with sincerity and a committed heart to worship you. Or we can pray as the psalmist, “Be true to your name, LORD, by forgiving each one of my terrible sins” (Psalm 25:11, CEV). Only then can we experience the sweet trusting relationship with God which David described in Psalm 25.
“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5)
Question of the day: What motives/actions do we need to change to make our hearts more Christ-like?
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