2 Chronicles 31

Hezekiah’s interest and involvement in the organization of the Temple, its ministers (priests and Levites), and its ministries is shown in detail in this chapter. It is obvious that, if the worship of the Lord is to continue vibrantly, organization would be necessary to keep the services available and going forward. His rationale is recorded thus:

“And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 31:2, NKJV)

This description brings to mind the relationship that exists between the exercise of religious worship and the organization that enables it. There is always a tenuous relationship between the two. Worship without structure becomes chaotic. Over-organized worship becomes lifeless ritual. Organization can become the focus, sucking life from the organism. Function without form ultimately fails to function.

What do we need to consider here?

1.  Revival disrupts cold ritual, threatening the routine of organized religion.

2. The burning passion of revival fires tend to burst outside the boundaries we set for worship.

3. The focus on the organization, the resources of time, energy, and money spent to maintain it, will drain the life-force out of worship.

4. The neglect of organization will allow the revival fires to become smoldering embers that turn to ash.

5. The key is to provide the necessary organization that will sustain the organism without overwhelming it.

We need organization to maintain its life and service. But when we are so burdened by maintaining the structure that we neglect the life and purpose of the organization, we are just preparing a corpse to be ultimately buried. What once was an important part of maintaining the health of the organization can lead to its demise. We need to keep the main thing the main thing. The structure and organization should serve the organisms, not the reverse. If an organization is struggling, more organizing will not fix it.

“The world outside is not going to pay much attention to all the organized efforts of the Christian church. The one thing she will pay attention to is a body of people filled with a spirit of rejoicing. This is how Christianity conquered the ancient world. It was this amazing joy of these people. Even when you threw them into prison, or even to death, it did not matter, they went on rejoicing; rejoicing in tribulation . . When the Holy Spirit is operating, this is the inevitable result—a joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.”

— Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. Joy Unspeakable, Power & Renewal in the Holy Spirit, p. 102.

Lifeless organization is useless. Disorganized life is aimless. A focused life (organized around purpose) is powerful and effective.