Daily Devotional for October 1, 2015
2 Chronicles 35
Scripture:
16 So at that time the entire service of the LORD was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had ordered.
17 The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
18 The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem.
19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.
Observation:
The majority of this chapter is devoted to a particular celebration of the Passover. The Passover was celebrated every year in the spring as a memorial of when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Among other things, this celebration was a reminder of God’s power and love for His people and a foreshadowing of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
With the Passover as an example, we learn that reminders serve an important role for us. They, not only help with tasks that need to be completed, but help us to never forget the important times in our lives. Every day I see the ring that my wife put on my finger over 19 years ago as a reminder of the commitment and a declaration of the love that we have for each other. After almost every rain storm we see a rainbow in the sky as a reminder that God will never destroy the earth by flood again. I have a scar on my left hand that reminds me when, as a kid, we were building a fort and a nail stuck in it. Yeah, that hurt. Similarly, it is important for us to set aside reminders for the incredible things that God has done in our life. When the Lord shows up and provides, heals, delivers, or speaks, we don’t want to forget those moments.
Application:
- Personal Application: Begin journaling your prayers and significant moments with the Lord. It is encouraging to go back and read how faithful God has been in your past. Without these reminders we can easily forget how good God is to us.
- Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Talk to them about the reminders in your life that are fun and the ones that are significant. Laugh about things like, the dent in the car, the paint on the carpet, or the chip in the table. Remember the significant moments where God showed up in your life and family. Encourage them to journal or set aside reminders of what God is doing and has done in their life. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Thank God for the moments in your life when He was there for you. Don’t ask for anything in this time of prayer, simply worship and thank Him for loving us so much.
- Family Prayer Focus: Similarly to the personal prayer focus, thank God for your family and all that He is doing in their life. Thank him for the moments that you have had and the blessings that they are to you.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, September 27 – Sunday, October 4:
- Sunday, September 27: 2 Chronicles 31
- Monday, September 28: 2 Chronicles 32
- Tuesday, September 29: 2 Chronicles 33
- Wednesday, September 30: 2 Chronicles 34
- Thursday, October 1: 2 Chronicles 35
- Friday, October 2: 2 Chronicles 36
- Saturday, October 3: Psalms 60-61
- Sunday, October 4: Psalms 62-63
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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