Focusing on What’s Good
It’s part 2 of Forgotten Kings - last week we looked at King Jehoshaphat, and today we are skipping a few generations and looking at one of the really impactful leaders, King Hezekiah.
He followed his father King Ahaz who was the worst king that Judah had known at that point… he reinstated child sacrifice, set up altars to false gods, and really plunged Judah into a very bad place.
When he died, he wasn’t even buried in the tombs reserved for the kings, because they were so ashamed of him.
A Good and Right and Faithful Leader
And so his son Hezekiah took over, and I love these two verses:
“He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD… (2 Chronicles 29:2)
“This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.” (2 Chr 31:20)
Oh for leaders who can be described this way in South Africa!!! Oh for Christians, who desperately want to do what’s right in the eyes of the Lord.
More Than a List of Don’ts
I think some people think that Christianity is just a list of don’ts. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t dance, don’t swear, don’t don’t don’t. People with this view of Christianity see the church has the holiness police! With God as the chief policeman! Waiting for you to bend a rule so that you can be nabbed and punished accordingly.
That is not what holiness is, or what following God is about friends! It’s about doing what’s right and good and faithful.
Paul said it so well in Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
In other words, focus on the good things!
What are you focusing on in your life?
What do you let into your mind and soul?
I’m sure you’ve heard the illustration that says you wouldn’t let just anyone walk into your house and start rearranging the furniture and changing things. But we tend to let just about anything into our minds and hearts and souls, without first testing to see if they are GOOD and PURE and LOVELY.
Focus on what’s good like Hezekiah did.
Jesus the Ultimate Good
And you know what is ultimately good for us to focus on? Well, not what but who. JESUS himself.
Jesus is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. Think about him! Reflect on Him throughout the day
Those WWJD bracelets may have been a little simplistic… but I think the idea was right - reflect on who Jesus was, and what he was about, and how he lived… all through your day, remember him and call him to mind… And you’ll be focusing on what’s good.
Hezekiah did what was GOOD, according to the Scriptures… he didn’t let dangerous things take over his life. We can learn from that today.
