I Am Not Too Young!

Sometimes I feel like I am to young to be really influential. People who are remembered throughout history are not generally remembered for their childhood, but for what they did as an adult. It makes me think that what I do now won't be remembered, so why bother trying to make a difference?

At church this Sunday, we read 2 Chronicles 34 that inspired me and renewed my sense of importance.

"Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left."
WOW! He was ruling a country at eight years old!

"In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images. Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.

They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the doorkeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the LORD's temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin."

Not only did this child rule a kingdom, but look at all of the good he did! He used his position of influence to completely change his country from one full of idols to one filled with the one true God.

As I thought more and more about this passage, I thought how God has given us all circles of influence. We may not be royalty, but we are all given areas where we can make the love of God known to others, to clean up the idols of our lives and help others to change as well.


Christina

Word of God Speak

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

These words washed over me as I drove to the meeting. I switched to another radio station because I did not particularly want to hear the word of align with to God at that moment. I wanted the word to align with my purposes and I was afraid if I heard the word, then my plans would have to change.

I went to the meeting and asked a godly ouple what was best. They told me exacttly what I didn't want to hear, but for some reason, it did not seem so hard anyrmore. I drove home with mixed feelings. I knew what I had to do, and although it did not sound pleasant, it felt inherently right.

I continued to drive, and some rain spattered the windshield. I felt an overwhelming silence, even my thoughts were stilled. (If you know how much I talk, you will realize that is a miracle in and of itself!) I heard God say Drive slow. Now, granted, it was raining and very windy, but usually God doesn't sit with me in my truck and give me driving tips. Therefore, I decided to take it seriously. I took a turn out of a neighborhood onto the main street when I saw a huge branch fall off a tree in the lane a few feet in front of me. I braked hard and swerved, missing the branch my less than a foot. If I had beeen going any faster, I shutter to think what might have happened.

Driving home, I was at a loss for words. But the funny thing is, it was ok.

Judging Others

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things...God will give to each person according to what he has done. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. -Romans 2:1, 6-11

---

I have bittersweet reading about these verses; I love the truth of the verses, but also feel that I have been very guilty of judging others on many occasions.

Something I have heard my mother say on many occasions that we often compare others' worst moments to our best intentions, or others' best moments to our best days. We are seldom fair in our judgements, but it gives me comfort to know that God shows no favoritism. He judges not based on others' performance, but purely our own faults and strengths.

Of course, I know that I could never measure up to God's standards. That's why God sent Jesus for us fallen children. But that is a different topic for a different post.