The Secret Life of Hard Work

Hezekiah Purifies the Temple

29 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.

³ In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. ⁴ He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side ⁵ and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. ⁶ Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. ⁷ They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. ⁸ Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. ⁹ This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. ¹⁰ Now I intend to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. ¹¹ My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.”

 

 

Today I read about Hezekiah.  It was very insightful because he was human and not perfect.  He made mistakes but he sought God and the Lord blessed him.  I think about a leader who has recently made a decision to take something very precious to me away.  It hurt for a month but now I am getting over it.  I feel that the Lord allowed the situation so I can not only use the gift temporally away to use all my latent talents of teaching, guiding and acting.  It does not change how I feel about the decision but I make a choice to forgive that person and pray for them.  I can't change how others respond to a situation but I can change how I react.  I am now part of the youth and children's ministries.  Instead of getting mad that I am no longer part of the Sunday morning worship due to my age I am making more of an impact on the future generation by using my talents and abilities and showing them the value of seasoned adults.   I feel like the Lord allowed the door to be closed so I can truly be used where I am needed.  Instead of getting mad and bitter because the same thing would probably happen somewhere else I choose to use my trial and triumph under the leading of the Holy Spirit.   I will sing again but next time it might be to a different audience but greater than before.