Lost and Found

~~~ 2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Matthew 7:15-20 ~~~

By their fruits you will know them.

After a disaster such as a storm, a war,
or a terrorist attack like 9/11, personal possessions get lost.
As time goes by those items found are often brought to a central place;
 held there until they are claimed.

People come to treasure whatever is recovered in the rubble.
No matter what scars the tragedy has left on these items they are keepsakes.

This is what we hear about in the second of Kings today.

There has been a time of wars; many things
have been destroyed and misplaced.

One such item is the special document
 containing the words of the covenant with God.
“I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD.”

Hilkiah and Shaphan quickly inform the King of their great find.

The King in turn is overjoyed, so he calls everyone together 

so he can report to them. 

The King does more than just give a speech instead 

he has the entire found book read aloud to the people.

The King promises to joyfully keep all of the statutes
set forth in the recovered covenant book.

...reviving the terms of the covenant...

...all the people stood as participants in the covenant.

Finding this book was reason enough to re-ignite
 their commitment to the Lord.
What was lost had been found...
The King surely believed the book to have been destroyed
 or to have fallen into enemy hands.

It was the Lord who led the workers to discover this book
 containing the words of the covenant.

It was the Lord who placed on the heart
of the King to make the book public.

First it was the King who said
 they should follow all that was written in the book.

The King could have chosen to dismiss
 the find, claiming that it was too old and no longer applied.

By their fruits you will know them.

The King wanted to do the right thing.
He was a God-fearing ruler.
His people followed his lead
on the belief that the covenant should be kept.

On this day, at least, the King's decision
 was able to bear good fruit.
He brought the people together in celebration
 of the finding of the covenant.
He vowed to abide
by the words of the Lord.

Have you lost something of your connection with the Lord?
Are you bearing good fruit?
Are you trying to get something from the wrong source?
Have you allowed yourself to be fooled?

The 'lost and found' in your heart holds the truth.
If you cannot find it God will send
someone to help you...
he always does.

Sometimes things are found
before we even realize we have lost them.

Blessings come from what has been found.
~~~Peace~~~