Josiah's "Spring Cleaning"

The last few weeks for me seem more of a blur now. I had multiple events that I was planning for and executing as well as Good Friday and Easter Services. It just seemed like the there was always something that needed to be done and prepared for.
I'm so thankful for the Lord's help in keeping my priorities straight. Despite the busyness of the last few weeks, I've cherished more than ever my relationship with my wife during that time. Knowing that a busy day at work ends with a quiet night with her and my puppy leads to one word: blessing. Also knowing that busyness without God's Word turns God's Word into a business. I knew that even though I was busy, I NEVER wanted to let that take over my time with God. This blog is an example of the grace that God gave me to spend time with him A LOT in the last few weeks.
Unfortunately one (actually two) place that took a beating the last few weeks was my office desk at both church campuses where I'm at. After this past weekend, having a huge event/retreat that I organized, I walked into my office today and looked at my desk and was like, "oh my socks, that is a mess." So, I IMMEDIATELY spent the first 15 minutes of my day today cleaning my desk of the rubbish all over it.
The story of Josiah, a man among boys, though he was only 8 years old when he began his reign, is a good reminder of what to do when your life needs a "spring cleaning."
In 2 Kings, chapters 22 and 23, we don't know exactly why Josiah decides to repair the temple of the Lord, but he does. Perhaps it was starting to look a little like my desk did today? Anyways something amazing happened during the cleaning and repairing of the temple: The book of the law was found.
It is almost humorous how this was presented to Josiah. This guy Hilkiah, the high priest, told the secretary that he found the book of the law and to bring it to the king. So the secretary brings it to the king, seemingly unaffected by hearing that it was the "book of the law" and simply tells the king, "uh yea, we got all the money out of the temple like you said, and by the way, Hilkiah told me to show you this book..."
Josiah's reign was directly after Manesseh, who the Lord compared WORSE than all of the Ammorites combined (21:11), followed by Amon, who is said to have "abandoned the Lord" (21:21). My guess is Josiah, who by God's grace decided to follow the footsteps of David and not his direct predecessors, felt like something just seemed messy about the kingdom that he was now entrusted as King. The fact that the book of the Law was "found" gives insight to even the fact that the priests of the Lord's temple had not been using it. This would make sense given the fact that the Lord's temple had been filled with Ashera Poles and other idols by Josiah's predecessors.
So Josiah has this book read to him and it doesn't take long for him to realize how deep in trouble he was in:

"When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shapan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, "Go, inquire of the Lord for me , and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us." 2Kings 22:11-13

Josiah, by all rights and standards could have used the excuse of ignorance to the Lord and say, "I had no idea! Why should I get punished for what my fathers did?" No, but instead he IMMEDIATELY was like, "where's the abort button, we got to see if there's time left to fix this!! Go! Call on the Lord for mercy on all of us!!"

The rest of the story is fantastic! The Lord replies back to Josiah basically saying, "yea, you're in trouble, there is consequence for all of the sin going on around here, but because you acted on it, you won't experience any of the consequence, it will happen after you have lived your years."

Josiah then started his spring cleaning in all of Chapter 25. He got rid of ALL of the things of the idols, even the horses that were apparently dedicated to the sun. He basically ordered, "anything that has anything to do, even remotely, with the idols of my predecessors, get rid of! not tomorrow, not in a few minutes, NOW!"
The culmination of Josiah's life and work is 25:25
"Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him."

So, great story eh? Here's the deal. Some of us, myself included, need to "find" God's word and realize that there is a great deal of clean up that might need to happen in our lives. What we need to do when God's word pierces to the division of our soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Heb 4:12), we need to take Josiah's example and not wait a single second, Call upon the Lord and repent, and CLEAN UP!
Josiah didn't dally around, once he found out it was sinful, he was like, "OUT, EVERYTHING NOW!" Even if it was expensive, even if it will cost me something, even if somehow my flesh still wants it, it needs to be eradicated IMMEDIATELY! When you are faced with the wrath of God, and your conscience is tugging at your heart strings about something, FIX IT NOW or you will continue to be influenced by it.
The largest application to this is in the field of addictions. When something is sinful and has mastered your flesh, the only true way to cut to the issue, whether it is a sexual addiction, a substance addiction, or a food addiction, is to take DRASTIC measures to clean house.
If it is porn, pull the plug on your computer. OR, Get a program (THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ADMINISTRATOR PASSWORD FOR) that monitors and prevents websites that are not God honoring, and automatically is accounted to a brother in the Lord.
If it is a substance, Check yourself into a God honoring substance abuse center and take a drastic measure and be ready for it to be difficult Better to be painful for a season than for eternity. Sin should not rule your life, and it takes drastic measures to allow yourself to put the Lord FULLY in control of your situation.
IN BOTH CASES... start NOW filling your life with God's word in the time that you would have filled it with Satan's filth! Build your fear of the Lord to beat your specific persistent sin problem.

Josiah had a great fear of the Lord. Prov 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." His response was very wise because it was motivated by his fear of God. Honor God, remembering that Christ has delivered you from your sin, and respond drastically and immediately when God's word is "found" in your life!