| Day 359: Read today's devotional on Bible Gateway. Back in the Saddle AgainIn the very first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them. He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the courtyard east of the Temple. He said to them, "Listen to me, you Levites! Purify yourselves, and purify the Temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary. Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned the Lord and his dwelling place; they turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors to the Temple's entry room, and they snuffed out the lamps. They stopped burning incense and presenting burnt offerings at the sanctuary of the God of Israel. "That is why the Lord's anger has fallen upon Judah and Jerusalem. He has made them an object of dread, horror, and ridicule, as you can see with your own eyes. Because of this, our fathers have been killed in battle, and our sons and daughters and wives have been captured. But now I will make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him."
(2 Chronicles 29:3-11) ReflectThe Levites, chosen by God to serve in the Temple, had been kept from their duties by the wickedness of King Ahaz, the father of King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 28:27), who offered sacrifices to idols and closed the Temple for worship. But Hezekiah called them back into service, reminding them that the Lord had chosen them to minister. RespondWe may not have to face a wicked king, but pressures or responsibilities can render us inactive and ineffective. When you have been given the responsibility to minister, don't neglect your duty. If you have become inactive in Christian service, either by choice or by circumstance, look for opportunities God will send your way to help you resume your responsibilities. Then, like the Levites, be ready for action (2 Chronicles 29:12-15). |
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