Everything Changes

Ever had an event in your life where everything changed? I mean a distinct line in the sand. Life was one way prior to the event, then life was forever altered after the event. Things like marriage, the birth of a child, the move to a new city, the death of someone close to you. We each have those “everything changes” moments in our life.

For example, take marriage. Prior to marriage, you do you. Ultimately, there is no commitment to another person in your life. Your time is your time. You could live selfishly, taking care of numero uno. But, suddenly, two people become one, two schedules combine, two dreams become one. Life changes. Selfishness becomes selflessness.

Events lead to new seasons of life. In my book The Anchor, I describe some major events in my life that moved me into new seasons.

Josiah had one of these events about 2,600 years ago.

In 2 Kings 22, we learn of Josiah, King of Judah. Josiah’s priest is doing some work in the house of the Lord, and he runs across the Book of the Covenant, also called the Book of the Law. The Book of the Law was the written Bible at that time, the first five books of God’s Word. This book would have included the story of God’s grace shown to the Israelites as He pulled them from slavery and led them to the promised land, where they were now living. Additionally, the first five books would give detailed a warning to follow God, having no other idols in their life.

After finding the book, they immediately read it before Josiah. He had not been reading God’s Word, and he suddenly listens to what a life following the one true God looks like. He begins comparing this description to the life being lived in the country that he is leading. To say that Josiah is shaken to the core is an understatement. His eyes were opened, and his life is immediately changed. He just heard the grace of God, how he cared for his ancestors, and now he is seeing how the country is living as if God didn’t exist. Josiah immediately gathers the country and reads the Book.

Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 2 Kings 23:1-3

For Josiah and the people of Judah, this was one of those “everything changes” moments. The Bible paints a picture that all people in Judah were moved. They realized they had not been worshipping the one true God, the God who had shown them great grace, bringing them from slavery.

After hearing the Book, the words of God, things changed. They had been worshipping other gods (little g), like, many other gods. Baal, Asherah, the sun, the moon, constellations, stars, a “wooden image,” Molech, known for the ritual of child sacrifice, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Milcom, etc. Immediately, all the idols in the land are destroyed. The event, the reading of the Word of God, immediately changed their life. They realized how far they had moved from the one true God. They were changed in an instant.

The thing about the event described above is the impact of grace. The people heard how God delivered them from slavery. They had turned their backs on the grace of God.

The recognition of grace in one’s life changes everything.

As I said, I have many events that altered my life’s journey. However, just like the story above, it was the recognition of the grace in my life that compelled me to follow God. For me, just like Josiah, it took the reading of God’s Word to open my eyes.

The Bible is a book of His grace. And, when you recognize Jesus’ grace personally in your life, you are compelled to change. When you understand the undeserved grace in your life that has been freely given, you must change.

In fact, everything changes.

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