God Prepares People

As long as we live on this planet we can have legitimate concerns and criticisms, but it is important followers of Jesus Christ are not distracted from God and His goodness.  Too much focus on what is wrong with the world or our lives can rob us of fellowship with God and drain us of praise and thanksgiving God is worthy to receive in every season of life.

When Hezekiah ascended to the throne in Jerusalem, he faced many great challenges.  The nation was spiritually in a dreadful state, having been ruined by their departure from the LORD in the pursuit of idols.  The people were defeated in battles, suffered enormous casualties and the temple, king's house and princes were plundered by enemies.  The priests and Levites had neglected their duties:  the temple doors were shut, the lamps unlit, the altar without fire and the temple was reduced to being basically a rubbish tip.  In spite of all that seemed against him, Hezekiah brought the priests and Levites together and urged them to sanctify themselves, cleanse the temple and serve the Most High once again.

After they sanctified themselves to serve, the priests and Levites went into the temple and spent eight days carrying out rubbish and disposing of it.  They cleansed the house of the LORD, the altar, the table of showbread and all the vessels.  All had been prepared for offering sacrifices unto the LORD and to make atonement for all the sins of the people. The trumpets sounded, the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang praises to the LORD.  However when it came time to offer sacrifices, freewill and burnt offerings 2 Chronicles 29:34-36 says:  "But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests. ³⁵ Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. ³⁶ Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."

If I had been Hezekiah, it occurred to me that the great day of rejoicing and praising of God could have been marred in my eyes by the lack of preparation of the priests.  Notice that even though the priests were too few, God had prepared diligent Levites to sanctify themselves to serve in the place of negligent priests.  The hiccup of unprepared priests had been already met by the almighty God who prepared people  in advance to serve, and the king and people all rejoiced in what God had done.  In a short time the shroud of darkness was replaced with the burning lamps, the cold altar burned hot with sacrifices, the temple mount was filled with worshipers, servants and the air filled with praise unto God.  Negligent priests or their lack of preparation did not take the shine off God that day, and He remains glorious and good now and forever.

Our lives will provide the answer to this question:  will we worship and praise God for His grace and goodness, or will our joy and gratitude be soured by the faults or negligence of others?  Praise the LORD He prepares and sanctifies sinners to serve Him suddenly as needs arise, and atonement has been provided for our souls by His grace.  In Him we ought to rejoice always.