Saturday, June 10th: 2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is 2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

2 Chronicles 34: 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images.

These verses are a great reminder that we are never too young to be passionate about following God, or effective in how we live our lives.

2 Chronicles 34:19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 20 Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, 21 “Go and inquire of the Lordfor me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is poured out on usbecause our ancestors have not kept the word of the Lord in order to do everything written in this book.”

Do we take God's Word this seriously?  We have access to every single thing God wanted revealed to us.  How often do we neglect even reading it, never mind following it!

2 Chronicles 34:33 So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required all who were present in Israel to serve the Lordtheir God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Unfortunately, as we see from this passage, you cannot legislate a change of heart.  The people followed God as long as it was the law of the land, and as long as their King followed God - but clearly it wasn't a heart transformation for them, as it was for Josiah.  We need God to replace our heart of stone with a heart of flesh. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ezra 1-2; John 19:23-42