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Because thine heart was tender...

2 Chronicles 34:1-2 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

2 Chronicles 34:26-27 And as for the king of Judah [Josiah], who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; 27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
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God hears us when we cry out to Him. He is here to hold up our feeble arms and strengthen our feeble knees. God knows what we need before we even cry out...

King Josiah, in 2Chronicles 34 is a great example of someone who sought the Lord, recognized that God is in control and submitted himself under God’s Lordship. Josiah “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” meaning he obeyed God. In verses 26 & 27 we see that Josiah also had a tender and humble heart towards God – it’s very important that we see we can’t just follow the rules and be in a “right relationship” with God, our hearts must be tender towards Him and humble allowing Him to be not only our Lord, but our Master.

The flip side is true as well, we can’t say we have a tender and humble heart towards God and not walk in obedience to His commands which are to love God with our heart, mind, soul, & strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We can’t have a tender heart towards God and hate our neighbor or be worshipping the gods of this world (our job, money, stuff, and even ourselves in the form of selfishness – see Phil 2).

Josiah was looked upon by God as righteous because he walked in faith and his faith led him to faithfulness. God honors our faith, we are saved by faith, and as we grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we read and grow in the Word of God (the Bible) our faith grows. When we walk by faith, we too will do that which is right in the sight of the Lord. As our faith grows our heart will become tenderer. As our heart is tender, we will walk faithfully in obedience. It’s a positive cycle called discipleship, sanctification and growing in the grace of God...it’s the ideal Christian walk!

Pray with me that we walk by faith with tender hearts towards God...



Email me (Pastor Jim) at pj-brown@sbcglobal.net or visit our website at: www.calvarychapel.com/hcfw

posted by Pastor Jim @ 9:42 AM