Scripture: 2 Kings 22:19 – “…because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the Lord.” (NRSVue)
We are taught that God is the same, now and forever, and that the way we worship God should likewise endure through the ups and downs of history. But that is not always the case. It is not the case in history, and it is not the case for us across our human life.
Buried in the depths of the Second Book of Kings is the story of the rediscovery of a book in the Temple. The high priest Hilkiah is tasked by King Josiah with renovating the temple, and as he does, he discovers a lost book, believed to be the Book of Deuteronomy. When Josiah hears the words of the book, he is overcome with despair. The book points out the absolute necessity of worshiping “the Lord alone,” yet at the time, the Lord was just one of many deities worshiped by Israel. The book promised wrath, but Josiah did not even realize he was doing anything wrong.
Josiah’s men sought out a woman prophet named Huldah (who says all ancient religious leaders were men?), who explained that the book was authentic, and that God’s wrath would be very real. But because Josiah was willing to change when he heard the words, he would be spared. Not everyone else would be so lucky. After hearing the book, they returned to their old worship practices and their own exploitation of the poor and needy. They ignored the new thing God was telling them by continuing to do what they had always done.
In our lives, we think that God’s plan is reflected in “the way things have always been.” But sometimes, new information comes to light, or we realize we might be misunderstanding an old story. We might think that a tradition of cruelty and rejection of others is the way things are, even though it speaks against God’s spirit of love and acceptance found throughout the Bible.
Have you ever rediscovered a truth you have been ignoring? Did you ever learn that the way you were doing things was not actually showing love to God or others? How did that make you feel? Did you double down on the old ways or begin a potentially painful process of loving in a different way? This is why it is so important to pray and read the Bible regularly. God is giving us new information all the time; we just need to be willing to see it. When you are surrounded by fear or frustration with the world, think about what new message God is bringing you, and be ever more hopeful in all you do.
Prayer: Lord, I have heard your will, accepted your correction, and am excited to show more light and love through my life. Amen.
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