September 23

In 2 Chronicles 34, we meet King Josiah, one of the most remarkable reformers in Judah’s history. At only eight years old, he begins to reign, and by sixteen, he’s seeking the God of his ancestor David. He doesn’t wait until he’s older or until conditions are ideal—his heart is tender and responsive to God early on. Josiah tears down idols, repairs the temple, and most notably, restores the reading and obedience of God’s Word to the nation. When the Book of the Law is found, he doesn’t brush it aside. He responds with repentance and action.

Josiah’s life teaches us that spiritual revival starts with personal responsiveness to God's Word. His reforms were not shallow or symbolic; they were deep, costly, and transformative. Even his observance of the Passover in 2 Chronicles 35 is carried out with such thoroughness and joy that it hadn’t been done like that since the days of Samuel.

Fast forward to 2 Corinthians 6, and Paul urges believers to receive God’s grace and not take it in vain. He quotes the Lord as saying, In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. Then Paul says, Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. This is not a message just for the world—it’s also for believers who are tempted to grow numb or passive in their faith.

Paul goes on to urge the church to live differently from the world, to be holy and distinct—not yoked together with unbelievers, but walking as temples of the living God. This call echoes the kind of heart Josiah had: one that refuses to blend compromise with worship.

Together, these passages remind us of two powerful truths: God moves when His people respond in humility and obedience, and we are called to live as those set apart for His purposes. We cannot afford to treat God's Word lightly or wait for a more convenient time to follow Him. The time is now.

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