Neglect Not God’s Word

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers (2 Chronicles 34:29-33).

Thought For Today 
Our faith is strengthened and grows as we listen to the Word of God. Without continuous exposure to God's teachings, our spiritual foundation can weaken. The example of the children of Israel illustrates this truth. When the children of Israel stopped reading and paying attention to the Word of God, they began to drift away from their spiritual roots. This neglect led them to become more involved in worldly pursuits and sinful behaviors in their daily lives. The absence of God's Word in their routines resulted in their departure from God's ways. When the scriptures were rediscovered and presented to King Josiah, he listened carefully. Upon hearing the Word of God, Josiah took decisive action by removing all the abominations from the lands belonging to the children of Israel. He ensured that everyone present in Israel served the LORD their God. During his reign, the people did not stray from following the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

The Word of God is given to help us recognize when our lives are not aligned with God's will. It guides us in making the necessary adjustments so we can walk in accordance with His teachings.