2 Chronicles 29:1-36

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i gar too often, leaders drift. Once they get some
I experience under their belt and a track record
of accomplishments, they often abandon the life-
style that helped them reach the top. They chafe
under the very rules that they established or en-
dorsed. They continue to call the people to follow
them, but they see themselves as exceptions to
the rules, not examples of l<eeping the rules.
Sadly, leaders like these forget the l-aw of the
Picture: People do what people see. lf they want
to succeed, Ieaders must incarnate the life they
desire in their followers.
Hezekiah teaches us this principle. He inherited
an unholy mess left by his father, King Ahaz. He
repaired the temple, restored legitimate worship,
removed the idols, repented for the people, and
required a change in the land. Once the popula-
tion saw his example of worship, they followed
suit.
Second Chronicles 29 ends with these won-
derful words: "Then Hezekiah and all the people
reioiced that God had prepared the people, since
the events look place so suddenly" (v. 36). These
events took place so quickly not only because of a
sovereign God who replaced Ahaz with the kings
godly son, but because Hezekiah modeled the life
he expected of others.