2 Chronicles 35:16-21: a reflection

16So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the LORD’s altar, according to the commandment of King Josiah. 17The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, nor did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept—with the priests, the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19This Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah. 20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. 21But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you today, but against the house with which I have war. God has commanded me to make haste. Beware that it is God who is with me, that he not destroy you.”

Under King Josiah, the people keep a Passover unlike any in generations, reviving a wholehearted devotion to God that had long been neglected, a reminder that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God. There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, the account says; nor did any of the kings keep such a Passover as Josiah kept. For generations, the proper worship of God had fallen into neglect; but Josiah led the people in a wholehearted return, keeping a Passover greater than any in living memory, reviving what had long been let go. What had been neglected for generations was renewed with wholehearted devotion. This shows that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God. It is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God. What has long been neglected can be revived. Lead your heart back to a wholehearted devotion to God. Long decline can give way to genuine renewal.

Notice what Josiah accomplished. For generations, going back to the days of Samuel, the proper, wholehearted worship of God had fallen into neglect; no king in living memory had kept such a Passover. Things had long been let go, allowed to decline. But under Josiah, the people kept a Passover unlike any in generations, greater than any in living memory, a wholehearted return to God and his worship, reviving what had long been neglected. What had declined over generations was renewed, wholeheartedly. This holds an encouragement about renewal. Things in our devotion to God, in our worship, our practice, our whole-hearted following of him, can fall into neglect and decline, sometimes over a long time, until they seem beyond reviving. But Josiah's Passover shows that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God; that what has long been neglected can be revived; that long decline can give way to genuine renewal. We are not bound by how long something has been let go; we can lead our hearts, as Josiah led the people, back to a fresh and wholehearted devotion to God, reviving what had grown cold. We do well to seek such renewal, not resigning ourselves to long neglect, but returning wholeheartedly to God, however long our devotion has declined. It is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God. What has long been neglected in your devotion can be revived. Do not resign yourself to long decline; lead your heart back to God. Long neglect can give way to genuine, wholehearted renewal.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God, and what has long been neglected can be revived, as Josiah led a Passover unlike any in generations. Our devotion can fall into long neglect and decline, until it seems beyond reviving; but Josiah revived a wholehearted worship of God that had been let go since the days of Samuel. Renewal is possible. Do not resign yourself to long decline in your devotion; lead your heart back to a fresh, wholehearted return to God, reviving what has grown cold. Seek a fresh, wholehearted return to God, not resigning yourself to long neglect but reviving what has grown cold, as under King Josiah the people kept a Passover unlike any in generations, reviving a wholehearted devotion to God that had long been neglected, a reminder that it is never too late for a fresh return to God, since there was no Passover like it kept in Israel from the days of Samuel; for generations the proper worship of God had fallen into neglect, but Josiah led the people in a wholehearted return, keeping a Passover greater than any in living memory and reviving what had long been let go, so that what had been neglected for generations was renewed with wholehearted devotion, which holds an encouragement about renewal, since things in our devotion to God, our worship, and our whole-hearted following can fall into neglect and decline over a long time until they seem beyond reviving, but Josiah's Passover shows that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to God, that what has long been neglected can be revived, and that long decline can give way to genuine renewal, so that we are not bound by how long something has been let go but can lead our hearts back to a fresh and wholehearted devotion to God, reviving what had grown cold, and we do well to seek such renewal rather than resigning ourselves to long neglect.

Lord, under King Josiah, the people keep a Passover unlike any in generations, reviving a wholehearted devotion to you that had long been neglected, a reminder that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to you. There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, the account says; nor did any of the kings keep such a Passover as Josiah kept. For generations, the proper worship of you had fallen into neglect; but Josiah led the people in a wholehearted return, keeping a Passover greater than any in living memory, reviving what had long been let go. What had been neglected for generations was renewed with wholehearted devotion. Show me what Josiah accomplished. For generations, going back to the days of Samuel, the proper, wholehearted worship of you had fallen into neglect; no king in living memory had kept such a Passover. Things had long been let go, allowed to decline. But under Josiah, the people kept a Passover unlike any in generations, a wholehearted return to you and your worship, reviving what had long been neglected. What had declined over generations was renewed, wholeheartedly. This holds an encouragement about renewal. Things in my devotion to you, in my worship, my practice, my whole-hearted following, can fall into neglect and decline, sometimes over a long time, until they seem beyond reviving. But Josiah's Passover shows that it is never too late for a fresh, wholehearted return to you; that what has long been neglected can be revived; that long decline can give way to genuine renewal. I am not bound by how long something has been let go. Take that to my heart. Keep me from resigning myself to long decline in my devotion; help me lead my heart back to a fresh, wholehearted return to you, Lord, reviving what has grown cold, for it is never too late to return to you with my whole heart.