Sing Out, Break Down, Offer Up, Give Away

“The people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast… with great gladness, and the Levites and priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord…

“Then the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.

“When all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

“And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites,.. each according to his service,.. for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for..: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts… And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.” 2 Chronicles 30:21-22a,27; 31:1-5

Judah had been infected by a divided heart, but under Hezekiah’s godly reign they returned to the Lord and turned their ways. Breaking down idol altars, they freed themselves to offer up thanks and praise and give in abundance. Hezekiah’s leadership and encouragement infected them with gratitude to God and a new perspective that resulted in joyful generosity across the land.

Preoccupation with self and stuff stymies unsullied worship, gratitude, and generosity. At the beckoning of the devil, many societies promote such obsession and idolatry. The contagion takes hold and blinds to higher worship and more meaningful life. The way out of a divided heart is first to remove those false gods that captivate attention and affection. Redirecting allegiances by acknowledging God as Lord opens our eyes to those foreign lovers we have befriended, and gives us courage to get rid of them once for all. (Psalm 86:11)

Rejoicing in the Lord God as faithful, merciful Redeemer brings changes of mindset and priority. Energies formerly given to meaningless pursuits are spent lifting heart and voice to exalt the heavenly King. Purity and praise work holy passion into the soul. New healthy habits are developed, and hands are opened to give.

Where and how have we been taken captive by idols? Do we regularly prioritize our wants, selves, families, work or recreation to the point they crowd minds and schedules, leaving no space for worship, service, fellowship? How would our attitudes and desires change if earnest prayer was given to singing thanksgiving and praise, naming and breaking sin, and offering up all we’ve been entrusted with to God?

Father, help me set and keep godly priorities that exalt You and minister to others.