The Humbling Process of Obedience

Kneeling in Humble Submission

(Visual concept co-developed with ChatGPT (Image Generator GPT)

Created using OpenAI's DALL·E technology

While studying my Bible this morning and in particular following my guided study through a chosen plan I selected titled, "Seeds of Justice: Devotions From a Legacy of Faith and Justice, a 3-day devotion drawing themes from Pan-African leaders who have been instrumental in the fight to end hunger, published by Friendship Press.

It was during Day 2's study that I encountered such a profound revelation through God's word, impacting the very core of this post's development. In reading this particular study of scripture, I learned of King Josiah's reign over Israel in both Judah and Jerusalem in how he gave orders for to the Levites (builders) and to others to go in and clear the way for the destroyed to be rebuilt, during this time of excavating destroyed furnishings, and broken mortar, and fallen stones, and decaying structures that Hilkiah, the high priest found the “Book of the Law”, which he then gave to Shaphan, the court secretary to read to King Josiah. All of this is found in 2 Chronicles 34, for in-depth reading and study.

It is here that I received the revelation I needed to move forward in my life. It came forward like a torrential storm. When the king heard the reading of the Book, he stood and tore his clothes and cried because he discovered how disobedient and out of step the Israelites had been to God’s command. King Josiah could not be comfortable in disobedience and defiance to what God had said to His people years before King Josiah’s life. As history records this, King Josiah was only 8 years old when he began his reign. It was during the 8^th year of his reign that he began to seek after the God of David his father. If anyone could have used an excuse to not obey God, this young King could have. But he didn’t.

 He sought God for an answer through prayer, sending Hilkiah the Priest, Shaphan, the court secretary (scribe), and his servant Asaiah, concerning the words of the Book. The matter ends with God returning the His word saying because of the evil they had committed, building idols, pagan altars, and living according to what they wanted and defying His command, that great wrath would come upon them, nevertheless because King Josiah chose to obey the commands of God, his reign was spared the coming wrath. Josiah was King for 31 years, and his reign was one of peace!!!

It has been a long while since reading and studying this passage, and I wondered if I was standing in obedience to what God had commanded in my life. Absolutely not!!!

I was commanded and told several, and I do mean several, years before “use my voice,” and I did everything but that. I helped others find their voices. I helped others build media platforms, developed blogs, created podcasts for others, and although I did at one point meaningfully attempt to create a sustainable speaking platform, it never acquired the success I felt it should have gained; hence, I quit. I went after everything else. I enjoyed a measure of success, but it always came crashing down for one reason or another.

It took this study and particularly this passage of scripture through historical events that rocked my idiocy, struck the blinders from my eyes, and clapped loudly and profoundly enough to bring me to a place of repentance to obey the command of God upon my life!!! It’s taken the listlessness of the days, the forever circling of old ideas, places, and meaningless activities, and the frustration of being frustrated, to bring me back to a place of “remembering what God said.” The plethora of storms that hit my life, from financial devastation to life-altering illness – it all came, bringing me to a place of humility, repentance, acknowledgement, and even gratitude in being afforded another opportunity to obey.

God’s mercy truly endures forever. It is only because of His mercy, goodness, and kindness, that I am strengthened to project my voice onto a stage that I can only hope and pray that others experiencing the same “blindness” as I have be brought back to the command(s) of God only to encounter true peace and safety as only God can bring, through our humble submission to Him.

Just as King Josiah reigned in peace all the years of his life, so shall I desire to live in the Peace of God in a world calling everything wrong, right. And where turning my back on my neighbor is frowned upon and found to be a dishonorable act toward God’s command. I can only pray that the years in disobedience have not caused me to lose he fruitful and prosperous promises of our Lord. But this I do know, and hold cherished above all things, that I am forgiven!

 

Pastor Kimetta A. Coleman

Kingdom Philanthropy Ministries

June 30, 2025