19/07/2025
*DAILY DELIGHT DEVOTIONAL*
United Evangelical Church
SATURDAY 19TH JULY, 2025
*Topic:*
*Returning to God Brings Blessing*
*Text:* 2 Chronicles 31:1-10
31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. 31:2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD. 31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD. 31:4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD. 31:5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 31:6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. 31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 31:8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 31:10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
*Memory Verse:*
Jeremiah 4:1-2
4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. 4:2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
*Brief Commentary*
In 2 Chronicles 31, after celebrating the Passover, King Hezekiah led the people to destroy the idols in their towns (v.1). He then assigned duties to the priests and Levites to maintain the spiritual practices of worship (v.2). Hezekiah also made contributions for the required sacrifices and commanded the people to bring their tithes, first fruits, and other produce (v.3). The people obeyed willingly and brought in abundant offerings (v.48) to show that they knew that the blessings they received are from God. God's favor was evident in the abundance they experienced (v.10). Just as God blessed the Israelites when they returned to Him, He promises to bless us when we choose to turn back to Him, put away our idols and live according to His will (Jeremiah 4:1-2). Returning to God is always met with His blessing. When we forsake our idols and return to Him, we invite His favor into our lives. Let us remember that when we honor God with our lives, He will pour out His blessings upon us in abundance.
*Declaration:*
*We resolve to stay in the Lord continually and refuse to go astray so that His blessings will rest upon our lives forever*
*Prayer:*
Father, help us identify every seed of backsliding in our lives and to cast them off.