Read the Word:
2 Kings 23:24-25
Meditate on the Word:
You may remember that Josiah was the king who set out to repair the Temple, leading to the finding of the book of the law. This discovery led the king to seek to purge idolatry from the land and to celebrate the Passover again for the first time in many years. His radical purging of idolatry from the land would be considered harsh or extremist by today’s views, but his purging of idolatry came from genuine love of God. In fact, we read in v. 25 that he turned to the Lord with all his heart, soul, and strength. This is the same love of God that Jesus said is the first and greatest commandment.
Of course, we have neither the ability nor the authority to purge all the idolatry from our land. We do, however, have the ability and authority to purge all idolatry from our lives and our households. Remember that an idol is anything or anyone that causes us to turn away from the One True God. Simply put, an idol is anything in our lives that competes with God for our attention. This can be money, career, celebrity, politics, or any number of other things which can occupy the bulk of our mental energy. We must pursue love of God first and foremost, as Josiah did.
Pray the Word:
Ask our Lord to reveal any idols in your life. Commit to purging them from your life.
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