S21P24 – Portraits of faith: Josiah

2 Kings 23:21-22
The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.

Faith transcends and is the root of all the other aspects of our character. If we have great love, it is founded in our faith in God. If we have great courage, it is founded in our faith in God. If we have great patience, it is founded in our faith in God. A clear manifestation of our faith is obedience, and that is obedience for the sake of honoring God. Josiah’s faith shone brightly when he came to know the Passover feast as written in the Book of the Covenant.

The Passover feast was a celebration commemorating God’s faithfulness in delivering his people from bondage. It was to be held annually as a regular reminder of God’s power and desire to deliver the faithful. It had been some time since the Passover was celebrated regularly as God commanded, which was to be a lasting ordinance for Israel. [Exo. 12:24-28] Josiah’s faith now manifested in a desire to call God’s people back into keeping this ordinance as it honored God. His desire to keep God’s command and compel his people to do the same was rooted in Josiah’s faith in God the deliverer.

The manifestation of faith as obedience should be a regular event for the normal Christian. If we have faith that God’s way is right, we obey. If we have faith that God has only our best interest in mind, we obey. If we have faith that God loves obedience and righteousness and holiness, we obey. Father, show us where our lack of faith causes us to disobey your commands, and rebuild our faith in those areas so that we may show through our obedience that we believe in You.