I hope that these series of articles will encourage our young people as we continue to look at the life of another young person who God used mightily to accomplish His purpose. It is hoped also that this story will inspire and challenge our young people to know that God can use them also to accomplish great things for His kingdom.
Our featured subject for this piece is King Josiah, whose story is found in (2 Chronicles 34). Josiah was only eight years old when he became king of Judah.
He ascended the throne following the death of his father (king Amon) who was killed by his servants (2 Chronicles 33:24-25). In spite of such traumatic circumstances young Josiah chose to trust in God. The bible tells us “in the eighth year of his reign while he was still young (sixteen years old), he began to seek the God of his father David” (2 Chronicles 34:3). In other words he wanted to know what his purpose was, and to carry it out.
All young people are called by God for a purpose, no one is here by chance, God has a plan for your life, and like Josiah He wants you to fulfil it. I would therefore challenge you to seek the Lord diligently and He will reveal it to you. Sometimes it is easy to blame family background or role models etc as reasons for not fulfilling our purpose, but as we can see that did not deter this young man.
Josiah came from a background where his Grandfather and Father (Manasseh &Amon) “did evil in the sight of God” by leading the people of God into idolatry (2 Chronicles 33:1-9, 21-23). In spite of all that he chose not to go down that path, instead he decided to return the nation to the true worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As a result he removed all symbols of idol worship in the land, purged the land, restored true worship throughout the entire nation thus turning the hearts of the people back to serving the God of Israel.
The bible says that “all his days they did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers” (2 Chronicles 34:33b). I would like therefore to challenge, and encourage you the reader of this article not to be put off by your age, but like young Josiah choose to make a difference.
May God continue to bless and prosper you in your walk with Him.