Making Fun of God, Really? (Daily Reflections on 2 Chronicles 30:1-14)

There is nothing more exciting for me than to watch someone come alive with enthusiasm for God and a relationship with him. I especially see this with new converts who have suddenly discovered the love, grace and forgiveness of God. There is a freshness to their new found passion, a fire within their souls that is captivating and contagious. That's why I love hanging out with new believers. They haven't learned to tone it down yet and live mundane lives like many long term believers. These novice followers of Christ are eager to learn and apply their learning and truly hunger for God and His righteousness.

As I was reading about King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 30 and 31, I felt his enthusiasm for God. Like a new follower of Christ, Hezekiah was eager for others to embrace his passion for God. He decided to make a big push for celebrating the Passover Feast the way God intended. Since it hadn't really been celebrated by the nation as a whole in recent years, he called together his leaders to get them on board with his idea of having the biggest feast possible and even inviting the kingdom of Israel to join them.

A spiritual renewal started in Jerusalem and Judah. They began tearing down the idols of foreign gods and tossing them in the Kidron Valley to be burned. Hezekiah sent runners throughout the land of Judah and Israel with the call to come to the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. But an interesting thing happened to the messengers. The Bible says that "many" people just laughed at the idea and made fun of the runners. Now I remind you that the Passover Feast was THE major feast/celebration that God had instructed the Israelites to follow. It is THE key reminder of how God brought them as a nation out of bondage from the most powerful nation on the planet at the time, Egypt. And these people were laughing and mocking the idea of coming back to God and worshipping him.

I could possibly understand someone not from the Israelite nation laughing and not understanding the invitation. But someone who is where they are because of the grace and power of God, that's a different story. It was their heritage. They would have still been living in slavery had not God intervened. Yet here they are making fun virtually of God and His passion for them.

Unfortunately, that attitude is way too prevalent today. I see plenty of people mocking God. They laugh at His calling and passion for them. They make fun of His followers or messengers. They don't just ignore His invitation to join in relationship with Him, they ridicule it and deride those offering the invitation. Wow, really? Mocking God's invitation to know Him deeper and celebrate life with Him, and for eternity? Is that wise? Those who do are eventually going to be in for a rude awakening.

To be honest, I watch people not just ignore God, but mock Him all the time by their behavior. They laugh off their life killing and aberrant behavior. They jokingly make fun of their own sinful lifestyles and continue to pursue the things that will lead to eternal death or separation from God. But I have also witnessed many older believers slough off young, exuberant believers with their new found passion for God and the things of God. They ridicule any potential for spiritual revival or expression of passion for God. They make fun of people who stretch their hands upward to God in celebration, praise or surrender. They downplay enthusiasm and a deep heartfelt pursuit of God.

As you continue reading 2 Chronicles 30 and 31, there were many people who did respond to the invitation to celebrate the Passover Feast in Jerusalem. And a true spiritual renewal took place when these people began to truly worship God. Lives were transformed. A renewed passion for God and the things of God broke out across both nations. People went home and got rid of the false idols in their communities and turned many back to God. Passion for God and deepened relationship with Him became the norm.

God, I am sorry for the way we mock and ridicule you as a nation or society. Our treatment of you is atrocious. Forgive me for any part I may have had in this obnoxious behavior. I want to pursue you with all my heart. I want my passion for you to rub off on the people around me. I want to see my neighborhood and community transformed as they discover you and your grace. I want to be like King Hezekiah who issued a call to return to God and started a revival among his own people.