Imago Scriptura 47 - Gathering

Yesterday's passage from 2 Kings is a dear favorite of mine. It is the finding of the book of the law by King Josiah and the assembly of the people to attend to the reading of it and their recommittment to it. In verse 22:8 we read, "Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.". It feels as I read that as if it was found behind a couch or under a table or something like that. Out of sight, out of mind. But what follows is just wonderful. The book is shown from one person to another and then to the king whose heart is broken as he hears the words because he knows that God is calling them back away from their rebellious ways. This leads to a gathering of a huge number of the people of Judah as the covenant is renewed. Its a stunningly powerful passage that always pushes me to remember the commitments to the Lord that I have made.

Yesterday shortly after I read this passage, I went with one of our church members to the opening dedication of the sites for the two new homes that we are building with other churches for Habitat for Humanity. It wasn't 1000s of people like the gathering in 2 Kings, but it was a gathering where we were reminded of what we were to be doing there, hearing the stories and the commitments being made by the future home owners and all of us committing for ourselves (and for others) what we will do to help these homes get built. My spirits were so lifted as I heard the two new homeowners' stories and their excitement about what was to come. I imagine that the priests who found the Law and then the King when he read it had a measure of excitement about what had been found but also knowing a lot was still to come.