Thought for the Day – Tuesday 21^st July

‘While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them.” Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes saying, “Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord or acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”’ (2 Chronicles 14-16, 18-19, 21)

We do not often venture into the book of Chronicles but today is the day!

I suppose we could say that reading our Bibles is something we take for granted. We are blessed to have many different translations to choose from and a whole host of materials designed to help us have a better understanding of the passages we are reading.

My hope would be that most homes will have a Bible in them, some perhaps will have many, but I wonder how often someone actually makes time to read that Bible. I am sure in all too many homes the Bible will sit on the shelf or in a cupboard gathering dust, actually becoming more like some sort of talisman, some sort of ‘protection’, than a word by which to live.

Let’s imagine it was taken down from the shelf - I wonder if on reading it they would have been as excited as Hilkiah was to rediscover the word of the Lord!

Or would their reaction be more akin to that of Josiah!

Here he is early in his reign and the Book of the Law given by God to Moses is rediscovered, having been hidden away in the temple and forgotten about for many years. To some this may appear to be a regrettable oversight but not to Josiah. For him it is an absolute calamity and something that has to be addressed immediately for as far as he is concerned neglecting God’s word was tantamount to throwing one of God’s most precious gifts back into God’s face.

I wonder by leaving that Bible sitting on the shelf are we not guilty of doing the same today, guilty of throwing a precious gift back in God’s face.

A Bible sitting on a shelf gathering dust is of no help to anyone but reading from it and learning from it and being encouraged by God’s word to us today and then living it out in your own life is what truly counts!

Prayer

Loving God,

May your words fall deeply into our hearts and minds, may we be surprised by them, encouraged by them, changed by them and emboldened to live by them for your sake and the sake of your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.