A Tender Heart
A Lesson from King Josiah

By Pastor David Kuntz

King Josiah was no doubt one of the greatest kings to ever rule Judah.  The writer of Kings said this about Josiah: “Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him”  (2 Kings 23:25).  Josiah is the only king that is said to have turned to the Lord with all his being!  He was obeying our Savior’s greatest commandment 600 years before He stated that command.  There is one reason for Josiah’s devotion to God and it was the Word of God.  During the eighteenth year of his reign, the priest Hilkiah made one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time (2 Chronicles 34:8, 14).  As Hilkiah was renovating the temple, he found the Word of God.  He then gave theWord of God to a scribe who in turn read it to Josiah the king (2 Chronicles 34:18).  And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes (2 Chronicles 34:19).  Josiah didn’t tear his clothes up because he spilled some steak sauce on it!  No, he tore his clothes as sign of great distress because he knew God was going to judge Judah for its sins.  The very first thing Josiah did when he was convicted of the nation’s sins was to seek spiritual advice (2 Chronicles 34:20-21).  Then the prophetess Hudlah gave this tribute to Josiah:  “Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words… your eyes shall not see his calamity” (2 Chronicles 34:27-28).  At this point Josiah did not rest on the prophetess’ words.  No, he began to remove the things that were displeasing to the Lord.  The most logical reason for this was because Josiah had a tender heart. 

Every Christian faces the same situation that Josiah did when he or she hears the Word of God.  How do you respond to the Word?  Will you allow the Word of God to humble you and seek spiritual help?  Or will you continue to tolerate the sin in your life?  If you cultivate that tender heart to the word of God you can become a zealous Christian!  It will change the way you live in your marriage, how you work, how you parent, and how you walk with the Lord.  Make it your prayer to ask the Lord for a tender heart when you study the Word of God.