Daily Devotional for Friday, May 16
The Activities of Joash
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him,” 2 Kings 12:2.
A toddler witnessed atrocities at home, and social services removed him from that environment. They placed him with a loving couple who raised him as their own biological child. Fortunately, he was too young to remember life with his parents, but his foster parents gave him a good life. They adopted him, took him to church, raised him in a godly home, and he came to know the Lord at an early age. He was incredibly grateful for the upbringing he was allowed to experience. His adopted parents saved his life, both literally and figuratively.
Jehoiada and Jehosheba raised young Joash to know the Lord. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” (Proverbs 22:6). Their physical and spiritual care for him changed the course of Judah’s history.
While in his twenties, Joash noticed his childhood home, the Temple, needed repairs. He was concerned about its upkeep. Although he did not remove the high places of idol worship, he did focus on the Lord’s house. He instructed the priests to use the monies coming into the Temple for repairs. They were to collect offerings and taxes and use them for repairs. However, after he had reigned for twenty-three years, no repairs had been done. After a conference with Joash, the priests stopped taking money but still made no repairs. Jehoiada then made a collection box, and that money was given to honest carpenters and masons to make the needed repairs.
Hazael king of Syria came against Jerusalem. Joash used the treasuries of the Temple and the royal sacred gifts accrued for three generations along with his own and sent them to Hazael to buy peace.
THOUGHT
Jehoiada and Jehosheba knew they were raising a king. We do not know who the children in our lives will be. We, too, could be raising a future leader. What we instill in them matters.
Kelli Reynolds