Find Yourself in the Word: Josiah's Example

Josiah’s story in 2 Kings 22–23 drew us into a moment when the Word of God, long buried and ignored, was rediscovered and read aloud. When he heard it, he tore his robes. Not because he finally found a list of rules to keep, but because he found himself in it—both the failure it named and the future it promised. He didn’t settle for surface reforms. He cleansed the land, rebuilt the temple, restored worship, and set scribes to work so God’s Word wouldn’t go missing again. What likely pierced him most was not just law but prophecy—1 Kings 13 had spoken his name centuries earlier. The problem in his time had a God-given solution, and he was it. That realization moved him from mild improvement to holy resolve.

That is how Scripture works when we let it—less like a checklist and more like a mirror, a map, and a summons. God does not come with condemnation—“you messed up, therefore you are messed up.” He comes with conviction—clear sight that leads to real change. The Word shows where things are out of place, not to shame us, but so we can fix what needs fixing. And when we see not only what’s wrong but what’s possible, courage rises. Josiah’s tears weren’t just regret; they were the grief of missed calling and the birth of a new obedience.

I’m inviting us to make 2026 a year of finding ourselves in the Word. Not skimming for trivia. Not reading to check a box. Reading to hear God speak into our lives and our families. Pick a plan—the Life Journal, YouVersion, Blue Letter Bible—and expect to miss a day or two. Then get back in. Join others if you can—like our Monday study in Acts. Let Scripture name where you’ve drifted, and let it also name what God wants to do through you. And don’t ignore the faces in your life. One day God will wipe every tear, but I don’t want my last tears to be the Schindler’s List kind—the ones that realize who I could have reached if I had simply opened my Bible and opened my mouth. There is more growth ahead for every one of us. Let’s step into it by letting God’s Word step into us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Find yourself in God’s Word. God’s Word is not merely information; it is a mirror that names both our gaps and our calling. When you see yourself in Scripture, regret gives way to responsibility. Ask God to show you not only what to leave behind, but what He is inviting you to build.
• 2. Conviction is not condemnation. Condemnation freezes us in shame; conviction points to a faithful next step. Learn to welcome the wound that heals by asking, “What is God making possible right now?” That question turns painful clarity into hopeful obedience.
• 3. Calling grows where Scripture is opened. Josiah moved from dabbling in reform to leading it when the text named his purpose. Our direction gets sharper when the Bible is not background noise but the voice at the center. Make space for Scripture to interrupt you—and expect God to assign you work.
• 4. Reform begins with specific obedience. Josiah didn’t just “get better”; he tore down altars, rebuilt the temple, and preserved the text. Vague desire will not change your life; concrete practices will. Choose a plan, choose a time, and choose a community that keeps you at it.
• 5. Read for transformation, not checkboxes. A completed plan without a changed life misses the point. Slow down enough to let the Word confront, comfort, and commission you. When Scripture becomes a conversation with God, your ordinary days become places of eternal work.

1. What happened immediately after the book of the law was read to Josiah (2 Kings 22:8–13)? Be specific about actions and words.
2. Which concrete reforms are mentioned in 2 Kings 23:24–25 as the results of Josiah’s response to the book?
3. What specific detail in 1 Kings 13 would have made the discovery of the book especially piercing for Josiah?
4. In the sermon the preacher contrasted “rules” with seeing oneself in the Word. Which parts of the reading point to a mere rules-list and which parts point to a personal calling?

1. What does Josiah tearing his robes indicate about his internal state and how should that shape a leader’s response when Scripture convicts them?
2. How did the combination of “law” (what was wrong) and “prophecy” (what was possible) move Josiah from mild reform to decisive action? What does that imply about how people are motivated to change?
3. Why might the preservation and copying of the book (scribes making new copies) be an important part of Josiah’s reform, not just a symbolic act? What responsibility does that give the community?
4. The preacher distinguished condemnation from conviction. In light of these passages, what does “conviction” look like practically when someone reads Scripture?

1. Pick a Bible reading plan you could try in 2026 (Life Journal, YouVersion, Blue Letter, etc.). Which plan will you choose and what time of day will you commit to read it? Be specific: days per week, time, and how long each session will last.
2. Josiah responded with concrete actions (tearing down altars, restoring the temple, copying the law). What is one specific “altar” or idol in your life you will remove this month (e.g., a habit, relationship pattern, or device usage)? What is the first practical step you will take to remove it?
3. The sermon encouraged joining a community (Monday Acts study mentioned). Who will you invite or join for shared Bible reading or a study group this quarter? Set a date to contact them and a first meeting time.
4. The preacher warned against reading Scripture just to check a box. How will you slow down your reading so the Word can “name” what needs fixing and what God wants to build through you? Name one practice you’ll add (journaling one verse a day, asking two questions after each reading, praying for specific application).
5. Josiah grieved missed calling before he acted. Is there a person in your personal circle you feel God may be asking you to reach with the gospel? Name that person and one concrete next step you will take in the next two weeks (invite to coffee, share a testimony, pray for them and ask permission to pray with/for them).
6. When the sermon talked about conviction that leads to a faithful next step, what is one change you can commit to this week that will move you toward obedience? (Be specific: a forgiveness conversation, a phone-free hour for family/devotional time, volunteering for a ministry, etc.)
7. The church preserved the book by having scribes copy it. How will you make sure God’s Word “doesn’t go missing” in your life and household this year? Name one concrete accountability measure (a reading partner, weekly check-in with your spouse or friend, using an app that tracks progress, or putting your Bible reading time on your calendar).