TAKE YOUR CHANCES
Thursday 22nd September 2016
2 Chronicles 35 (NKJV)
Now Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.2And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the Lord. 3Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the Lord: “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel. 4Prepare yourselves according to your fathers’ houses, according to your divisions, following the written instruction of David king of Israel and the written instruction of Solomon his son. 5And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father’s house of the Levites. 6So slaughter the Passover offerings, consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.” 7Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s possessions.8And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle. 9Also Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle. …
Josiah the king carried out extensive religious reforms in Judah. He restored the Ark to its rightful position and assigned the Priests and Levites to their duties in the temple. After this, he organised and celebrated the Passover on a level never seen in Israel before this time (vs. 10,18).Then, v. 20 begins another phase in Josiah‘s life that needs to be reflected on properly. It says, “After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order…….” The next thing you will see is the process that led to his death.
Nothing can happen if God does not allow it. It is only God that knows the future. Pray and decide on what you want to achieve in your life, follow it up and allow nothing to hinder you from pursuing it. Eccl. 9: 10 says “whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might for there is no work … in the grave” The regret that most people experience in life comes from failing to act when they had an opportunities. Seize the moment and let every day count in your service to God and humanity.
Prayer: Merciful Father, help me to make good use of my time.