Crush to Dust

In 2 Kings 22 we find that Josiah has been made king at the ripe old age of eight. In his eighteenth year he began to make repairs to the house of God, and in that process, the book of the law was found. 

Not only did Josiah repent and grieve that they had not been following the Word up to this point, but gathered all the people, and made a covenant with God. (2 Kings 23:2-3)

And he didn’t stop there. He took action. He burned and crushed to dust all the things that had been an offence to God. Some of which had been in place since the reign of Solomon!

And this made me think. When I am presented with truth from the Word of God, and I recognise that I have been in error, how do I respond? Especially if it’s something I’ve been doing for a long time, and has become habit.

Do I grieve that I haven’t been following God’s Word? Do I make a covenant with God to not continue in that way? Do I crush those behaviours or things in my life to dust and put even the dust far from me? (23:4)

Or do I keep the offending thing close, just in case I want it again? It’s so easy to turn back to wicked ways. We see it over and over in the Old Testament with the kings of Israel and Judah. One would do well for a while, then their successor would go back to leading the people into darkness and sin.

I need to, as King Josiah did, turn to the Lord with all my soul and all my might (23:25). I need to make a covenant with the Lord to follow in His ways, and then follow through. I am so thankful that God is merciful and patient!