2 Chronicles 34:3a
For in the eighth year of [Josiah’s] reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father:
Do you think you are too young to serve the Lord? In this verse we see that at the age of 16, King Josiah began to seek the Lord in his life. He had already been king for eight years and he realized that unless he started seeking God things wouldn’t go so well. His father had been an example of what would happen without God leading your life-- King Amon had sacrificed to false gods, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and was eventually assassinated. Young Josiah made the personal choice to seek the Lord, and like him, we too should commit our lives to the Lord at a young age. Don’t wait till you’re older. We need to devote our time, our effort, and our lives to serving the Lord.
Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
2 Chronicles 34:3b
And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
Just because we commit ourselves to the Lord doesn’t mean we will instantly know what the Lord’s will is for our life. As we see here, Josiah didn't know all of what the Lord wanted him to do yet (he didn't read the book of the law until later) but he did know what the Lord expected him to do and that was to tear down the idols and their places of worship. At a young age (or any age) we might not know what the Lord wants us to do specifically, but we do know what the Lord expects of us.
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We need to live our lives as a living sacrifice to God no matter where we are in life. If you expect to know God’s will for your life you need to be spiritually minded and not conformed to this world. Wherever God has you right now, serve Him in any way you can! Whether it is by passing out tracts, witnessing to someone, or simply helping out with cleaning something--serve the the Lord!
Psalms 100:2a
Serve the Lord with gladness:
Galatians 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
If you look back at the verse above, (2 Chron. 34:3b) King Josiah is 20 years old. He probably had much more power at 20 then he did when he was 16, and because of that he likely had more opportunity to do what the Lord commanded him to do. In the same way when we are given the opportunity to serve the Lord we need to act upon it with a cheerful and willing heart. As we become older we will probably have more of these chances to act in service to the Lord, but this doesn’t mean our younger years are worthless! The Lord can use the years while we are young to teach us and prepare us for the future.
2 Chronicles 34:8,14b,18b
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God…[And] Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses…And Shaphan read it before the king.
As Josiah was doing what he knew God wanted him to do, the book of the law was found. In the same way, if we are serving the Lord and striving to grow closer to Him, He will in His good timing reveal His desires for us.
Romans 12:7,10-12
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
…
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
Malachi M.
