We prayed all night
that hot summer of July, 1959, “Lord, please don’t move Sharon's family to Marion
County. Keep her here with us.” Then, I prayed, “Lord, you know I need to stay
and grow in your Word. I can’t, I just can’t leave this church, these friends.
I will die if I have to leave.”
We were a unique
group of teens, united in the Lord and desiring so much to be used of God.
Surely, God would answer us and we could relax and get ready for high school in
a couple of months. Brother Joe May had
taught us well in the weekly Bible studies and besides, we enjoyed being
together singing, running around as teens do, and then sitting down to RC Colas
and moon pies. Days were filled with growth in the Lord. The Word of God was
coming together for me as I began to read it through for the very first time.
How could I have missed all this peace for so long when it was right there
before my eyes?
Sometimes we discover as we read God's Word some really good truths which set us on fire for God, and then there are times as we read that we become so convicted and know that we must take care of matters immediately before God's wrath comes down. So was the case with King Josiah. Read the following passage:
2Ki 22:11-13 ¶ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
Josiah had to make a quick decision to find a prophet and inquire of the Lord for he knew judgment was to come very soon because his forefathers had disregarded God's Word. He took advantage of this moment as crazy as it may have been and sent the men to find a prophet. There she was Miss Huldah, the prophetess, wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobes.
2Ki 22:14-17 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
As I read this passage of scripture, I wondered, "Why didn't they go to a man prophet?" But as I studied it more I found out that Miss Huldah was in Jerusalem while Jeremiah was possibly farther away. Josiah was acting quickly and by taking advantage of this time to properly lead his people, he trusted in Miss Huldah as her reputation was known to speak as "Thus saith the Lord."
To God, that you and I would be known to counsel and speak as "Thus saith the Lord," We cannot without knowing Him and His Word. I challenge you today to look at more scripture using the words, "Thus saith the Lord." You will be strengthened, I promise!
The all night prayer meeting of my youth group was a prayer meeting that I will never forget. I was very tired as the others were too when the morning light came, but we trusted in God. Brother Joe May spoke from God's Word as "Thus saith the Lord." He never said that he believed it was God's will for our family to stay in Clay County but he encouraged me to trust God's decision because if I didn't, I could possibly feel defeat. He needed me to be lifted up and not let down. I didn't understand then, but as time passed, I did.
Sometimes we discover as we read God's Word some really good truths which set us on fire for God, and then there are times as we read that we become so convicted and know that we must take care of matters immediately before God's wrath comes down. So was the case with King Josiah. Read the following passage:
2Ki 22:11-13 ¶ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
Josiah had to make a quick decision to find a prophet and inquire of the Lord for he knew judgment was to come very soon because his forefathers had disregarded God's Word. He took advantage of this moment as crazy as it may have been and sent the men to find a prophet. There she was Miss Huldah, the prophetess, wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobes.
2Ki 22:14-17 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
As I read this passage of scripture, I wondered, "Why didn't they go to a man prophet?" But as I studied it more I found out that Miss Huldah was in Jerusalem while Jeremiah was possibly farther away. Josiah was acting quickly and by taking advantage of this time to properly lead his people, he trusted in Miss Huldah as her reputation was known to speak as "Thus saith the Lord."
To God, that you and I would be known to counsel and speak as "Thus saith the Lord," We cannot without knowing Him and His Word. I challenge you today to look at more scripture using the words, "Thus saith the Lord." You will be strengthened, I promise!
The all night prayer meeting of my youth group was a prayer meeting that I will never forget. I was very tired as the others were too when the morning light came, but we trusted in God. Brother Joe May spoke from God's Word as "Thus saith the Lord." He never said that he believed it was God's will for our family to stay in Clay County but he encouraged me to trust God's decision because if I didn't, I could possibly feel defeat. He needed me to be lifted up and not let down. I didn't understand then, but as time passed, I did.
At the next meeting our youth group
packed out one full side of the Church of the Brethren that night while Brother
May brought in the cases of RC Colas.
The brown bag of moon pies sat beside it. Brother May was smart to put
it all within eye range so we would know that after the Word was presented we
could have this rare snack while participating in the fun activities to follow.
And then he spoke, “Thus saith the Lord…..” The Words of the scripture
pierced my heart and I just wanted to cry, to run, to tell somebody, “Don’t you
know what God says about you and your life if you don’t become a Christian?” I
was so in tune with God those early years as a teen and knew God loved me. He just HAD to keep me here, in the church with these people.
BUT, we did move and God taught me a very great, powerful
truth about Himself that has stuck with me all these 56 years. I want to continue this thought in the next blog. Pick up the Book and see today what God is saying to you. Just like Josiah, take advantage of knowing the truth and act quickly before judgment. "Thus saith the Lord.....to you, my friend!"
Until next time,
Lord willing….
Sharon
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