Lessons from the Past

Only two months left, and we will find ourselves at the end of 2020.  Looking back, there are many parts of the year 2020 we would have liked to skip over.  Instead of complaining, however, it is best to remember God has a purpose for everything He allows in our lives.  Perhaps there are even lessons learned throughout the challenging months of 2020 which will be of benefit for years to come.

This morning, as I was doing my Bible reading for the day, I found myself in 2 Chronicles, chapters 29-32.  According to one study Bible I have, this book was written between 425 and 400 BC.  That is a long time ago!  And still, as I read through the passages, I found lessons I could apply to my life today.

These chapters cover the life of a man named Hezekiah, who was 25 ears old when he became king of Israel.  At the beginning of his reign, he discovered the temple of the Lord was in need of repairing.  He called on the priests and Levites, and told them to get to work.  They proceeded to purify the temple following the word of the Lord.  Sacrifices and offerings were made, and according to verse 30 of chapter 29, "they sang praises with gladness, and bowed their heads and worshiped".

Following this, at King Hezekiah's command, couriers went throughout both Israel and Judah with a message asking the people to return to the Lord.  He told them not to be stiff-necked, to submit to the Lord, and to serve the Lord.  In the 12th verse of chapter 30, we are told the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind, following the word of the Lord.

Back in these times, there were feasts to celebrate, and rules about being ceremonially clean in order to participate.  Many who wanted to be a part of what was happening weren't considered "clean" or "purified", so King Hezekiah offered a prayer on their behalf:

"May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. -2 Chronicles 30:18b-19    

In the following verse, we are told the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.  Later, in chapter 31, we are told Hezekiah sought his God in everything he undertook, working wholeheartedly, and because of this, he prospered.

Looking back over the reading, I found several lessons we can apply during these challenging days of 2020:

        1.  Examine the condition of "the temple of the Lord".  Moving from Old Testament thinking to New Testament, we find in 1 Corinthians 3:16 we ourselves are God's temple, and God's Spirit lives in us.  So, how is the condition of your personal "temple"?  What does God see when He looks into your heart?

        2.  Singing praises with gladness, and bowing our heads in worship are important.

        3.  Those who set their heart on seeking God, no matter their current condition, will be pardoned and healed by God.

        4.  When we seek God in everything we undertake, then work wholeheartedly at it, God will reward us with prosperity.

So many are thinking the outcome of today's election will determine the state of our country going forward.  As it turns out, a change in the country starts with a change in each individual heart.  Are you ready to do your part?  Perhaps, hundreds of years from now, someone will look back on how we handled things in 2020 and learn a lesson or two.  My prayer is the lessons learned will be ones based on the truths in God's Word, and not the selfishness of mankind.