I Am A History Nerd...

I once heard a sermon about Josiah, the man who became king at 8 years old, and how he turned his country around by looking back at the history of his father and grandfather (Found in 2 Kings 22 and it's joint passage 2 Chronicles 34). He did the right things, and made the right decisions for Israel that his forefathers didn't.

Now I am a total history guru. I love everything about it. While some people may think that it is boring, I think it is the most interesting thing ever. My love of history is right up there with my love for politics. And the two work hand-in-hand, together. The reason I love history so much is that it gives me a clear view of the past. Like Josiah, you and I can look back at mistakes leaders and others have made, as well as the great decisions they made that shaped their lives, and the lives of the people around them through the centuries. This gives us a clear view of what we should and shouldn't do as a country and a people.

Well King Josiah looked at history for answers, and found many of them. He realized that his fathers didn't follow the law of God, and that his fathers did things that were totally against God's will. This pushed Josiah into action. He realized what he hadn't been doing, what he should be doing, and made the changes necessary to be obedient to God. 

History shows us so much, and teaches us more. I find comfort in knowing that the problems we face today have been experienced by people all the way back to the fall. I wonder what Josiah initially thought when he learned from God's Word all that he should be doing.  Was it elation?  Was it shock?  Was it confusion wondering why his ancestors had not followed God's instructions?  Was it all of that combined?  We don't have to trip through life as if we were in the dark.  We can learn from others, the good decisions and the bad ones, but more than that, we have God's Word to lead us.  How great His love for us to give us His Word.

Walking In Grace,
Abby