READING: 2 Chronicles 33-34, Acts 9:1-25
God responds when people turn to Him in repentance. In fact, He responds in grace to even the most vile sinner who turns to Him. Seldom is that truth more evident than with the life of Manasseh.
The text tells us that Manasseh was wicked; indeed, this summary speaks volumes about his sin: “He built altars to all the stars in the sky in both courtyards of the Lord’s temple. He passed his sons through the fire in Ben Hinnom Valley. He practiced witchcraft, divination, and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did a huge amount of evil in the Lord’s sight, angering him. Manasseh set up a carved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s temple that God had spoken about to David and his son Solomon: ‘I will establish my name foreverin this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel’” (2 Chron 33:5-7).
God did not tolerate his sinful leadership, and He raised up the Assyrians to carry Manasseh into captivity in Babylon. There, in great distress, Manasseh turned to the Lord—and this simple sentence is filled with hope: “He prayed to him, and the Lord was receptive to his prayer” (2 Chron 33:13). The Lord not only heard his prayer, but He also returned the king to Jerusalem and used him to begin reforms in that city.
Thus, I summarize this story as: repentance of a sinner + forgiveness of God = amazing grace. And, I have more hope today for those non-believers for whom I’m praying.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You for Your incredible forgiving, transforming grace. I pray You would grant that grace to those I love today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Review and catch-up day