Day 9.
2 Kings 22 Josiah, the boy king, son of one of the most wicked kings of Judah, finds the Book of the Law while restoring the temple. When he hears the words of the Book of the Law read, he tears his robes, and sends someone to a prophetess to inquire of the Lord because (v13) “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” The prophetess responds, (v 16, 18-19) ‘this is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.’ 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 the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.
Josiah wept and tore his clothes over the evil deeds of those who had gone before him. In response, God holds back his hand of judgement for a generation. We have been surrounded by so much sensualism, and it seems to get worse with each decade, so that we are tempted to forget that it is wrong and fail to keep our hearts tender over the change.
Our Father in heaven, your way is perfect and we harm ourselves when we stray from your law. So much damage has been done and it is hard to keep our hearts tender. We are sometimes tempted to just agree that everyone should do what is right in their own eyes. Please give us tender and contrite hearts. Make us willing to feel the pain you feel over souls you love being led astray. Let us not be discouraged and let us not lose heart.