A Second Chronicles of Christmas

December, 2002

by: Lisa Hughes

Recently I read through the book of 2 Chronicles and found nugget after nugget of truths to ponder and apply. Jewish tradition says that 2 Chronicles was written by Ezra to provide the nation of Israel with a selective history of Israel's past along with God's perspective on them. He records the reigns of Solomon and the kings of Judah. Many of these kings started off well in their reign. They followed the Lord, maintained a humble heart before Him, and sought to obey His commandments.

What does 2 Chronicles have to do with the Christmas season? Just this. Many of those good kings started off well, but they did not finish well. They were not faithful to follow the Lord all the days of their life. They allowed the pressures and distractions of life to turn their hearts away from following the Lord. They chose to rely upon their own self–sufficiency and to look to the world for wisdom.

Reading about the lives of these kings through God's eyes allowed me to see the things that God deems important — things like obedience and humility and being faithful to the Lord and His people. I have been praying that God would help me to be faithful to Him all the days of my life and that He would keep me from a proud and self–sufficient spirit. Not only is it important for me to live my whole life faithfully before the Lord but also I realized that the pattern of faithfulness begins in smaller spans of time — like a year. As this year draws to a close review how you have lived it. Maybe you started well this year by being faithful to read your bible, pray, and to rely upon the Lord, but as the Christmas season has drawn closer you have found yourself slacking off in those areas. Learn the lesson from 2 Chronicles and finish well. Be faithful to spend time with the Lord in prayer and reading of His word today. Don't neglect those areas that keep your heart tuned to Him. Finish this year well and it will be a guide to help you finish your living your life well also.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; much time spend in secret with Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.