Human Response 447: Turn Not Aside

2 Kings 22:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

Josiah, along with Hezekiah, was the best of the kings of Israel and Judah. He was faithful and true to God and His Word. He gathered offerings from the people to repair and restore the temple and its worship of the Lord alone. He not only heard the Word of God again, but he also did what God said. “Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Hearing and doing the Word was all that mattered; it was everything. He turned not aside from the Way. The kingdom of Judah would be destroyed, but as a result of Josiah’s faithfulness it would not happen in his lifetime.

Once we have heard the Gospel and been brought to repentance and saving faith we are put on the Way, which is Jesus Christ. Our grateful response is to steadfastly remain on the only Way to God and not turn aside. We have been given life and we will not let it go at any cost. Single-minded devotion to Jesus and His Word is the expected response of the baptized believer. And by the power of the Holy Spirit we keep the Word and do what He says.