2 Kings 12:1

 2 Kings 12:1 says, In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.  Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu's reign in Israel.  He reigned for forty years, but would have still been fairly young.  Some people start serving God younger than others do today, and they probably will be able to serve Him longer, but they are not guaranteed a long life.  We can only serve God faithfully for as long as we live once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse two adds, And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.  Jehoash did what was right in God's sight under the instruction of Jehoiada the priest.  As Christians, we are a part of the priesthood of believers and need to live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that we will do what is right in God's sight.  Verse three continues, But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.  Still, Jehoash was not totally obedient to God, allowing the high places to be viewed as sacred and used for worship.  Matthew Henry said these high places competed with the altar of God at Jerusalem and may have started because at times it was dangerous to travel to Jerusalem.  Though we can worship anywhere, I believe that God expects us to gather together in His name to worship weekly at least.  Verse four states, And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord,  Jehoash told them to bring all the money dedicated to the LORD into His house, just as we must bring everything dedicated to God to His house today to be used for His mission in the world.  Verse five adds, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.  The money collected was to be used to repair the temple, which Matthew Henry says had evidently been neglected and was in need of repair.  As Christians, we cannot afford to allow God's work to fall into disrepair.  Verse six continues, But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.  In the twenty-third year of Jehoash's reign, the temple still had not been repaired.  Though they had been told to do so, they weren't in a hurry to repair the temple.  Though we have been told to do so, we often aren't in a hurry to share the gospel and to do God's work, especially if it is going to cost us materially.  Verse seven says, Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.  Jehoash called Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them why the repair of the temple was not being done.  Matthew Henry says that Jehoash may have had more zeal for the repair of the temple than for the actual worship of God.  We cannot allow buildings to become the focus of our worship and begin to be more concerned about a church building than we are about actually worshiping and serving God.  Verse eight adds, And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.  Having been told not to receive any more money that wasn't used for the repair of the temple, the priests stopped collecting any.  Even if we don't agree with the way our tithes and offerings are being used, we cannot just quit giving them.  The tithe still belongs to God to be used for His purpose, and the rest is to be used under His guidance.