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2 Chronicles Chapter 24 (ESV)

1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

4 After this Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord. 5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly.

8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished…

14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.

REFLECTION:

King Joash gathered the Levites and told them to gather from all Israel money to repair the temple but the Levites did not act quickly (24:5). Gathering money for repairing the temple was not only the king’s wish but also God’s command. Therefore, these Levites not only despised the king’s order but they despised God. It is close to disobeying when you need to follow God’s command but you respond slowly. It was out of the expectation of the Levites that all the people rejoiced and brought their tax for repairing the temple and dropped it into the chest until they had finished (24:10). Reflect if you have delayed some urgent church ministries because of your various concerns. Do not underestimate the faithfulness of the congregation; when you have passion to encourage others to do God’s work, they often will do it willingly and generously.

PRAYER:

Come before God in silence, ask God to examine your heart and remove your various worries and rebellions. Ask God to give you a fervent heart to do God’s work willingly and to encourage others to do the same.

HYMN:

“Here I Am to Worship” – www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaUTv1pXRyU