GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD
Thursday, 15th September 2016
2 Chronicles 30: 1-27 (NKJV)
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And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. 3For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. 4And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. 5So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner. 6Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see. 8Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. 9For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” 10So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them.11Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord. ..</blockquote>
The runners went throughout the land of Israel and Judah, asking the people to return to the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Some people mocked them, while some humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The gathering of the people at Jerusalem, the celebration of the Passover and the keeping of the feast of the unleavened bread attracted God’s mercy and forgiveness and this resulted in great joy in Jerusalem.
The only way to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey Him, just as we can see from the passage. Hardening of heart leads to destruction. Today, check if there are any areas in your life where you have strayed from God. Are there little sins in your life that draw you back? Simply come back to the Lord just as the people of Judah, and He will immediately forgive you and give you peace and joy.
Prayer: Heavenly King, please help me to trust and obey You, so that I might be happy in You.