2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too young to make a difference in the world.  Josiah became king when he was eight years old, and he was one of the best kings Israel had ever had!

The life and times prior to Josiah were unrecognizable.  The people had blended worship of the Lord with idol worship to such an extent that it was hard to tell where one stopped and the other one started.  For example, the shrine prostitutes had living quarters INSIDE the Temple of the Lord!  Can you imagine the ladies of the night living inside your church?  Yet the law of the Lord was so far from the people that they didn’t even know HOW to follow him anymore.  (Sound familiar?)

Until Josiah made contact with a recovered scroll.  A priest took the newly found scroll to Josiah and read it to him, and Josiah was grieved to the core.  He tore his clothes and prayed and wanted to know what to do to try to make things right with God on behalf of his people.

Then he spent the rest of his life doing all that he could to lead the people rightly, to guide them in following the Law of Moses.  He gathered them together at the Temple and read the law to them!  Can you imagine the leader of our country reading the Bible to us on prime time television?  Yet that is essentially what King Josiah did…and the people followed him.

Josiah died when he was 39 years old, in battle.  In his short life he made a great impression on the people of Israel and showed them by example how to live the life the Lord had set out for them.  Now that I stand near Josiah’s age (but I’m not saying how close to that I am!), I am amazed at what he was able to accomplish for the Lord.

I pray the Lord will use me as well!  Although I am rather pleased that the Lord did not make me a king!  Phew, talk about pressure! :o)