The Book of the Law

I shared last week that Josiah is one of my favorite kings in 2 Chronicles. His reign is marked by a willingness to study and respond to the word of God. In the eighteenth year of his time as king, Josiah commands that the temple undergo a period of repair. During the construction, part of the law (the first five books of the Old Testament – in this case probably a portion of Deuteronomy) is found and brought to Josiah. As Josiah reads, he is convicted that he and the people need to repent. He leads them in a time of national repentance and a celebration of the Passover. Josiah wants to live what he finds in the pages of God’s law. I love that. I want to be that way in my own life. We read the Bible and pray that God will embed His word on our hearts. The act of embedding is an act of planting. As God plants His word in our hearts, it takes root and begins to grow. Our lives are to be a living reflection of the holiness, righteousness, freedom, and grace that God brings into our lives. As we yield to the message of God, we are shaped in such a way that the people around us can see God at work. I hope that as you continue to embed the Bible, you too can surrender to the growth that God is working in your life.