II Chronicles 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered
We don’t always know what is inside, but there are signs of health that help us to know. Have you ever thumped a melon, squeezed an avocado, or sniffed an onion in the grocery store? I’ve got to tell you, you can sniff an onion all you want, but it is not going to make it any better. Do you know the difference between a good onion and a bad onion? Neither do I. So, you do all these things to check the health of what you are going to buy at the grocery store. We do the same thing with our dogs and horses. We look at their coat, their teeth, and their appetite to gauge what their health is inside where you cannot see.
What about you and your health? A couple of years ago people kept telling me, “You are looking good.” That worried me because no one who is really looking good needs to be told they are looking good. I felt like they were saying I hadn’t been looking good before or perhaps they were saying I was getting older, but I looked as good as I could for my age. There are signs of health.
Second Chronicles 31 is so refreshing and rare when you read about kings in the Bible because most of them are just scallywags. Verse 20 says of King Hezekiah of Judah, “And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah.” This is the end of a chapter about all the good things he had done. He wrought that which was “good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” This was a matter of the heart and it had spread, as things do whether good or bad, to other people.
What you gather from chapter 31 is the realization that a healthy heart has symptoms. A healthy avocado, melon, onion, dog, or person has symptoms. A healthy heart has symptoms too. What were these symptoms? Verse 1 tells us, “When all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to Judah, and brake the images in pieces.” They cut down the grove and got rid of idolatry. It was deliberate cleansing.
Once in a while it is recommended for people to do a detox. A few times I have gone a week without my morning coffee. Why? I just want to know that I can do it. Maybe if you would be reluctant to do that and couldn’t do that, it is not a good thing. We sometimes talk about a digital detox. Could you go a week without social media? I’m not saying you are virtuous if you do or evil if you don’t. I’m just wondering if you could even do it. I think it is good to deliberately cleanse every so often.
Sometimes people talk about eating some diet like cabbage and lemons for a month and it will cleanse you. I’m being a little facetious about those specific foods, but there is a self-cleansing detox. Oftentimes in the morning I assess the previous day and sometimes I think, “Rice, you blew it again.” I ask God’s help. Oftentimes I am asking for help all over again. I think a symptom of a healthy heart is cleansing, assessing where one is with God.
Verse 2 says, “And Hezekiah appointed…Levites after the courses…to his service.” Verse 3 says he also appointed portions for the offerings. He was reestablishing the service that had been neglected for a long time. Who were these Levites actually serving? The last few words of verse 3 say, “As it is written in the law of the LORD.” The Bible sometimes references this as the law of Moses, the vessel through whom God gave it, but the service was to God. The New Testament says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
So, it is service, and service to God improves our service to other people. This is largely attitude. Now I don’t see everything at Bill Rice Ranch, but in my experience, the staff here are the most dedicated, capable, good, willing servants I know. So, we are serving every day. That is good, but are we serving with a heart for God, a heart for people, and a good attitude? Such service is a sign of health.
Verse 4 talks about giving, it says, “Moreover the king commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priest and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.” Previous chapters seem to indicate that the Levites were not ready to do what they should have been doing. They weren’t serving the way they could or should have, but they also weren’t being provided for. It was all unhealthy. They weren’t as God designed them to be.
Verse 5 tells us that Israel brought in “abundance the firstfuits.” What they gave was first and it was enough. In verse 10 the chief priest answered when asked by the king, “Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have enough to eat, and hath left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.” It was immediate; it was first; it was enough; and the Levites were encouraged. Everyone was healthy and had a heart for God. There is always enough to do what God wants us to do when we do our part and are wise with our stewardship.
How about you? Are you living your life with a healthy heart, a heart for God and people, a heart that God can prosper? A healthy heart has symptoms.