WILLINGNESS AND DILIGENCE

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2 Chronicles 29:31, 34  

Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.


Two important attributes of those who worship God are "willingness" and "diligence".


Looking at the record of king Hezekiah, a king who loved the Lord and worked in His ways. We see from yesterday's study that his father walked NOT in the ways of the Lord, yet he Hezekiah chose right.


In doing this his first step was to restore and bring back the place of worship:


2 Chronicles 29:3, 18  

He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.


He couldn't do this alone, he needed both the clergy and the laity to make this happen.


Here we learn from this record:


The people gave because they were willing.


2 Chronicles 29:31b

So the people brought their sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings, too. 


Enough of all these transactional gospels, enough of all the gimmicks, fleecing and cajoling, if the people love the Lord they should be willing to give, their time, talent and money.


Next we see the clergy, the Levites who are like church workers today were more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests who we can compare to as the pastors (no matter their title) of our day.


2 Chronicles 29:34

But there were too few priests to prepare all the burnt offerings. So their relatives the Levites helped them until the work was finished and more priests had been purified, for the Levites had been more conscientious about purifying themselves than the priests had been. 


That is the problem with titles, it could make you err in feeling that you have an entitlement and then you begin to think that you are not accountable. Beware, that you do not fall into damnation. For whom much is given, much is also expected.


You hear statements like "touch not my anointed", yet the supposed anointed has no "touch of God" in them. They live as if they do not serve God and that the people serve them. May they who fall under this category repent and return to the Heavenly place.


So we see these two key elements: willingness and diligence. May they be inbuilt in all believers that the church of God will match forward, and as the Lord promised, the gate of hell shall not prevail. Glory to God.


Help us Good Lord.


PRAYERS

Loving Father, build in me and in all believers the willingness and diligence to serve you unconditionally, maintaining Your nature and character that the church may excel and Your name glorified. Glory to Your name Lord forevermore. All is well with me and mine. Halleluyah.


He calls us blessed.


Love

@the watcher.

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