It was in March, just three months after our house burned. It was a Sunday morning, with the beginnings of spring appearing everywhere. I was looking forward to moving back home.

I still had times of terrible sadness over our loss, but I was so grateful to be alive and to have such wonderful friends. They, along with our faith, had been our strength.

The sermon on this particular morning was about King Josiah, a story found in II King 22 and 23. This was a familiar story to me, but it would have a profound impact on me on this particular Sunday.

Josiah was only eight years old when he became king. Doubtless, he had advisors to assist him with decisions in the beginning, but at age twenty-six he personally gave an order that proved his love and dedication to the Lord.

Josiah sent his scribe, Shaphan, to the house of the Lord to deliver a message to the high priest. Josiah wanted the money they had collected from the people to be used to repair the place of worship.

Hilkiah did as Josiah requested; and in the process of cleaning and repairing, they found something of great value. “They found the book of the law in the house of the Lord” (I Kings 22:8, KJV),

Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read what was in the book. Then Shaphan took the book to the king, “And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes” (I Kings 22:10-11). Josiah had never heard God’s commandments; and when he heard it read, he was overcome with emotion.

The story continues with the Lord promising to allow Josiah a peaceful reign and with Josiah making a vow to the Lord that he and the people would keep His commandments.

Josiah immediately commanded the destruction of the idols, the idolatrous priests, the altars, and the places where the people had worshiped idols. This had all been foretold by a young prophet back in I Kings 13, thirty-five years before this actually happened. The prophecy even named Josiah as the king that would destroy the altars.

The people had not kept the Passover as the Lord commanded, and Josiah commanded that the people celebrate this solemn and joyous occasion.

As I sat in worship on that particular Sunday, the tears I had held back for so long finally came. My tears came because I had no Bible. In the ashes and charred remains of my house, I had found my Bible. It was barely recognizable, black from the fire and wet stuck-together pages from the water used to extinguish the fire.

Hearing this story made me realize that I had not replaced one of my treasured possessions. I think I may have felt just a little like Josiah did when Shaphan brought him the book of the law.

My sweet husband took me on Monday and bought me a Bible that I use to this day. It doesn’t collect dust on my table but helps me teach my Bible classes, study and read on a daily basis; and it provides me with the guidance I need daily.

We take so many things for granted, and having God’s Word is one of them. How blessed we are that we can still carry, read, and study the Word of God without fear of reprisal.

Just this week I heard a man say that he believes when we die, we are just gone. There is no reason to go to worship, to read the Bible, or to believe in a future once this life is over. That is a cause for tears!

We need to treasure the written word, for in it is our hope for a life in heaven with the one who shed His blood for us. He promised that He would come again and take those who have been obedient to Him and His Word to be with Him forever (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Josiah wept at the reading of the Law. I wept at not having a copy of the written Word. We should all weep today for those who refuse to read, study, and obey the teachings of scripture.

Sandra Oliver