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Reconciliation is a process. It must be worked out piece by piece as we take each thing in our heart, the things of the world we still love and worship, and give them to God one by one. That is reconciliation. That is how to seek God and to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. That is how to shift from worldly vision to eternal vision.

Christians in some places haven’t had it so easy in the past several decades. But American Christians have. And our faith has grown weak and shallow. We humans seem to only realize our need for God during troubles.
So God eventually allows the trouble to come, to bring us back. Don’t be bewildered by the fiery trials flaring up around us. God is lifting His protection to call us back to Himself.

I had a vision when I read this passage today… I had a vision of one of those big maps in malls that identify your location with an arrow and “You Are Here.” In my vision, an arrow pointed to 2 Chronicles 36 and said “WE ARE HERE.”

When God makes a big move, the entire earth responds. ALL of creation is subject to its Creator. Every time Moses went up to the mountain to meet with God there were earthquakes, storms, and whirlwinds. It is no different today. Before, during, and after God’s great workings, moves and shifts, the earth heats up, shakes and howls.

King Hezekiah loved and honored the LORD throughout his rule. And God blessed him abundantly. Even as Hezekiah aged and became arrogant (as did so many of the good kings), he repented and returned to God.

We find ourselves in a similar situation — daughters and sons of a generation who has fallen away from God and forgotten Him. He is inviting us to return to Him, to remember His precepts and celebrate His salvation through Jesus Christ. Let’s do it! Let’s return to God together!! With gusto!!!

God often instructed the Israelites to build holy shrines and altars to commemorate His gifts. God set up a system of holy days every year so that the Israelites would remember all His blessings. God knows we forget. We benefit by consciously making sure to remember God’s blessings–we should do whatever it takes not to forget. For me, I keep journals.

Our ending is much more important than our beginning. All the years of Joash’s good deeds were erased by the wickedness of his final days. But so also, prodigals like me who had bad beginnings, can erase all those years of wickedness if we end well. God forgives! Jesus erases sin. He gives us second chances. Thank You, Jesus!!

God does not break His covenants. From generation to generation, His promises are true. The prayers of believers throughout history are STILL affecting and protecting us today.

Paul says our own physical bodies are like those seeds. Today our physical bodies waste away with age and sickness. But some day they will be “raised in power… a spiritual body… of heaven.” We will be reunited with our physical bodies some day. Only then they will no longer be cursed and disintegrating. They will be perfect and glorified. How cool will that be?!