Turnaround

Turnaround
June 15, 2009
The count had gone to 7 and 4.
7 bad – 4 good.
7 who said, “I’ll do it my way. I’ll go by what I can see and serve what is immediate, thank you.
And 4 who said, “I’ll trust in a God I can’t see….and serve what is eternal. And make this world a better place for everyone around me.
The history of the immediate past was especially dark….because the 7 and 4 count was of kings…the pace-setters for the nation.
Almost 2 to 1….bad to good.
Then came Josiah….and a great turnaround.
Appointed as king at 8 years of age…the first thing said to describe his life was this “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David.” That’s especially interesting, because David lived over 200 years earlier.
But he would be characterized not by his paternal father – but by a man who was his great spiritual model…King David.
And so, during his 31-year reign, he did not turn “either to the right or the left,” but walked a path of integrity, and reform. He got rid of the pagan idols of his time and late in his reign, when he comes across fresh truth from the word of God and the mouth of a prophetess, he tears his clothes in abject humility and stands in the presence of God to remake a covenant with him.
No wonder it could be said of everyone around him – “as long as he (Josiah) lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their fathers.” (Read the whole story in II Chronicles 34)
We are almost to Father’s Day.
Dad, are you succumbing to the numbing negatives of your past or present?
Are you saying “everyone’s doing it” so as to give yourself permission?
Are you walking listening to the voice and word of God – and getting your cues from greatness?
Are you repenting when conviction comes to you – and humbling yourself before God?
And are those around you just a whole lot safer and closer to God because of you?
Hope so…hope so…hope so. I John 3:3 David