I am excited about our new series, "Change Before You Have To" that we are kicking off on Sunday, April 12th. Change is sometimes uncomfortable, but authentic change can bring the life of abundance, passion, and satisfaction you've always hoped for.
We will be using the book by Rob Ketterling with the same title and studying God's Word to see who change is possible.
One of the people we will be studying is King Josiah (found in 2 Kings 22) and the great reforms he made in the nation of Israel. He made radical changes in order to bring the people back to worshipping Jehovah.
What struck me as a side point, was how he got to this point. His grandfather was Manasseh, the most wicked king of Judah. His dad, Ammon, continued the wickedness and was murdered after only two years by his own servants, and Josiah becomes king at only eight years old.
Here is a text describing him:
"Josiah was eight years old when he became king,
and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah
daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of
the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to
the right or to the left."
So young and so committed.
It makes me ask some questions: "Who taught him?" and "Where did he get a heart to follow God?" For sure it did not come from dad.
The answer is found in the text - his mom and likely his grandfather on his mother's side, Adaiah. The only thing we have to go on is that Jedidah must have been a godly woman who greatly influenced her son.
My point - All you moms who feel like you are alone in raising your kids, you make a difference. Your names may not get mentioned often in the history books, but the lives you are impacting can change the world, just as Josiah brought about some of the greatest spiritual reforms in all of Judah's history.
Who knows mom, maybe you are raising another Josiah - we could sure use one right now.
Keith
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