Prosperity!

2 Chronicles 31:20 - This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.  In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.  And so he prospered.

I like the words - “And so he prospered.”

In my little brain I think to myself: “If only I could copy what Hezekiah did, maybe I could have the title that also says…. And Nathan prospered.”

But is it that easy?

In our western society there is a huge push to be prosperous and successful. It is easy to read this verse on Hezekiah and like it just because it has the words… And so he prospered.

We as Christians in the past have used verses like this as a formula, Praying them over and over, so we may become prosperous.  But let me say, Hezekiah’s prosperity was a result of what he did not what he said.

Hezekiah had ordered the people in Jerusalem to give a tithe to the priests of what their fields had produced.  The scripture says; the people brought a great amount, and the word started to spread and even the people in the surrounding towns of Judah contributed too.  So much was contributed that there was an abundance and stock piles everywhere.

Hezekiah’s next strategy was to open storehouses in the temple and diligently distribute all that came in back to all the Levites and priests who served in the temple and community.

What made king Hezekiah different to the rest of the kings?

Everything that was given, he took it as his responsibility to give back out.

My question is; what has God given you and what are you doing with it?

Read this scripture about Hezekiah one more time and be stirred - This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.  In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.  And so he prospered.