2 Chronicles 30:20-27: a reflection

20The LORD listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. The Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments to the LORD. 22Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of the LORD. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings and making confession to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 23The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

When Hezekiah restores the neglected Passover, the response of the people is overwhelming joy. They keep the feast seven days with great gladness, praising the LORD day by day; and then, so glad are they, the whole assembly takes counsel to keep another seven days, and they do, again with gladness. There was, the account says, great joy in Jerusalem, such as had not been seen since the days of Solomon. Their worship overflowed with joy, so much that they did not want it to end, but extended the feast to prolong the gladness.

Notice the overflowing joy of their worship. It was not a grudging, dutiful observance; it was full of gladness, so much so that they could not bear to let it end, but chose to keep the feast another seven days. Their worship of God overflowed with a joy that wanted more, that prolonged itself gladly. This was worship from glad and wholehearted hearts, not mere ritual; and it overflowed into a joy so great that they extended the celebration, unwilling to stop rejoicing before God.

That overflowing joy in worship is worth taking to heart, for our worship can be dutiful and joyless rather than glad. We can worship God as a duty, going through the motions without gladness, glad when it is over rather than wishing it prolonged; but the people at Hezekiah's Passover worshiped with such joy that they extended the feast. Worship of God is meant to be glad, overflowing with joy, not a joyless duty. Do not let your worship of God be dutiful and joyless; seek the gladness that overflowed in Jerusalem, worshiping God with joy rather than mere duty. When worship becomes a glad delight rather than a burden, it overflows, as the people's joy overflowed into another seven days of feasting; ask God for a heart that worships him with such gladness, that your worship might overflow with joy, as the joy in Jerusalem was so great they could not bear to let the feast end.

Lord, when Hezekiah restores the neglected Passover, the response of the people is overwhelming joy. They keep the feast seven days with great gladness, praising you day by day; and then, so glad are they, the whole assembly takes counsel to keep another seven days, and they do, again with gladness. There was great joy in Jerusalem, such as had not been seen since the days of Solomon. Their worship overflowed with joy, so much that they did not want it to end. Show me the overflowing joy of their worship. It was not a grudging, dutiful observance; it was full of gladness, so much so that they could not bear to let it end. Their worship of you overflowed with a joy that wanted more. This was worship from glad and wholehearted hearts, not mere ritual. Take that overflowing joy to my heart, for my worship can be dutiful and joyless rather than glad. I can worship you as a duty, going through the motions without gladness, glad when it is over rather than wishing it prolonged; but the people at Hezekiah's Passover worshiped with such joy that they extended the feast. Worship of you is meant to be glad, overflowing with joy, not a joyless duty. Keep me from letting my worship of you be dutiful and joyless; help me seek the gladness that overflowed in Jerusalem. Give me a heart that worships you with such gladness, Lord, that my worship might overflow with joy, as the joy in Jerusalem was so great they could not bear to let the feast end.