Today's Scripture
All hands on deck – 2 Chronicles 31: 1-8
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: 2 Kings 18:1-8, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48
When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.
2 Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling. 3 The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord. 4 He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. 7 They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed his people Israel.
What does this passage mean to me/us
Worship has to be focused on God, God only and offered to God with everyone involved.
When King Hezekiah started his reign, he led the people of God to focus their eyes back to God.
When one attempts to lose weight, he or she will need to throw out all the unhealthy snacks from one’s pantry, to clean out all distractions and focus on building a healthy diet.
In the same way, in order for us to restore a healthy relationship with God, we need to throw out all idols/ distractions and commit ourselves to a life of worship.
Worship is not limited to our individual relation but also needs to be offered to our Lord, as a communal act of God’s people.
When our hearts are focus and united, we will see how God restores our relationship and life.
Prayer
Lord, help us to see the distraction, pulling us away from our relationship with you. Help us to clear out all idols and commit to worship you only. In Christ name, AMEN.
Click to subscribe to our Daily Devotion.
You will receive a devotion in your inbox every morning.