The time is - now!

In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. 2 Chronicles 23:1

They say that however well you know the Bible there is always something new to be found in it. For me this little sentence is a case in point. Not, I have to admit, that the books of Chronicles are ones I know particularly well; but still, the statement that Jehoiada showed his strength struck me forcibly not long ago.

What is going on here? We are in a truly grim period in the history of God’s people. Briefly, Athaliah, the mother of the murdered king Ahaziah, has seized the throne for herself. In order to do this she has killed any other possible contenders to the throne (including, we must assume, some of her own grandchildren). She hangs on to the throne for six years; but she doesn’t realise that in spite of her massacres she has in fact missed one of the royal princes, Joash. When just a baby, Joash was hidden away by Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest. He is now seven.

And this is the point at which Jehoiada “shows his strength”, and sets about the business of removing Athaliah and putting Joash on the throne. I picture him sitting up straight one day as the realisation dawns on him that the time has come to act. Six years is a long time to wait to see justice done. The rest of chapter 23 shows how effective his action was.

One simple point stands out for me. 

In all our lives there are times we need to stir ourselves urgently into concerted action. Perhaps we have been drifting along, ignoring a bad situation and vaguely hoping it will go away. Perhaps our marriage has stagnated. Perhaps our church has slipped into complacency. Perhaps a glaring need for social action refuses to be brushed under the carpet any more. Whatever, you become aware that responsibility for this is not somebody else’s but yours; if you don’t take action, nobody else will.

Reasons not to act are many and varied... I’m too busy. I’m too old. I’m too young. I don’t have what it takes. My health isn’t too good. It’s so-and-so’s responsibility. To all of which God is saying: “Rubbish! Roll your sleeves up and get on with it. You, and no-one else, are the man/woman for this hour.”

I am interested to see how the various Bible translations render this verse. The version I have quoted is the New International. The Good News Bible says that Jehoiada “decided it was time to take action”, the Contemporary English Version that he “knew that something had to be done”, The Message that he “decided to make his move”, the New Revised Standard Version that he “took courage”. 

Well, take your pick!

But let’s not miss the vital point: inaction, neutrality, laissez-faire, procrastination, passivity, live and let live - call it what you like - simply isn’t an option. We can condemn ourselves as much by the things we don’t do as by those we do do. The old cliché is true: evil flourishes when good people do nothing.

I’m not suggesting, of course, that any of us should jump hastily into unconsidered action; that will do more harm than good. The fact is that the normal Christian life is often fairly routine, even humdrum, and that’s not necessarily wrong. So we need to be sure that what we have in mind to do is right, that it is indeed the will of God. Think hard. Pray deeply. Search your heart. Take advice.

But if it is God's will - well, what are we waiting for?

Father, I’m not by nature an activist. I really don’t like the idea of rocking the boat! But if there is a situation that needs to be grasped and changed, give me the courage to do just that, whatever the cost might be. Amen.