A 2 Chronicles Christmas Lesson

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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 those details. Ezra records the reigns of Solomon and the kings of Judah in 2 Chronicles.

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It’s interesting to note that many of these kings started their reigns off well in humbly seeking the Lord and following Him in obedience. Yet, while many of those good kings started off well, they didn’t finish well. They weren’t 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, choosing instead to rely upon their own self-sufficiency and worldly wisdom.  

Reading about the lives of these kings as viewed through God’s eyes helps us see the things that God considers the most important—things like obedience and humility and being faithful to the Lord and His people. Seeing those things once again has prompted me to ask the Lord for renewed help and grace in being faithful to follow Him all the days of my life, while rejecting the pride and self-sufficiency that all too easily shows up in my heart! Not only is it important for me to live my whole life faithfully before the Lord, but to realize that the pattern of faithfulness begins in smaller spans of time—like a year or even the month of December.

As this year draws to a close, consider how you’ve lived it. Is it possible that you started this year well by faithfully reading your bible, praying, and relying upon the Lord, but as the Christmas season has drawn closer you have found yourself slacking off in those important areas? It’s not too late to run the rest of this year’s race well. May we learn the lessons from the stories preserved in 2 Chronicles and finish well. “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:36).”

Today, be faithful to spend time with the Lord in prayer and reading of His Word. Today, do what you must to minimize the distractions that can lead you to neglect Him. During this season, stay on course in seeking the Lord and fixing your eyes on Him. As you do so, your choices will be a guide to help you finish the living of your life well. Step by step. Month by month. Year by year run well until you cross over into that glorious land.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; 

spend much time in secret with Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; 

thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

—William D. Longstaff