Seeking the Lord

King Josiah of Judah illustrates for us the sequence of spiritual growth and progress in a believer's life. II Chronicles 34:1 tells us he was made king when he was eight years old. Verse 2 tells us he did what was right in the sight of the Lord and verse 3 tells us why. At age sixteen he began to "seek the Lord."

The results of that "seeking the Lord" are spelled out in the following verses. The spiritual changes and progress that occurred in Josiah's life will happen to any believer who will set himself to "seek the Lord."

II Chronicles 34: 3-7 tell us that four years later Josiah set out on a campaign to rid Judah of idols and altars to false gods. Seeking the Lord will result in the believer removing anything that is an idol in his or her life.

II Chronicles 34: 8-13 tells us that when he was twenty-six years old Josiah orders the Temple in Jerusalem cleaned and repaired. It had been neglected many years. Another result of seeking the Lord is we will want God's temple to be clean. Since the body of each believer is the temple of God (I Corinthians 6:19), that means we will want to make sure sin is confessed so we are "cleansed of all unrighteousness. " (I John 1:9)

II Chronicles 34: 14-19 tells us that in cleaning out the Temple they found a scroll of the book of Moses. They read it to King Josiah and he responded with humility and contrition. The believer who sets himself to seek the Lord, removes any idols, and cleanses his heart by confession of sin, will find the Word of God precious and wonderful. We will also want to obey it as Josiah did.

It was too late for the nation of Judah in Josiah's day. But God did a great work in the heart of this one who set himself to seek the Lord. We do not know what may happen to our nation, but God is still looking for humble believers who will seek Him.