READING: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33
“The Lord was receptive to his prayer.”
2 Chronicles 33:13
The list of his evil acts is indeed long. He did “what was evil in the Lord’s sight” (2 Chron. 33:2). He built pagan altars and imitated the acts of pagan nations around him. He worshipped even the stars in the sky, and witchcraft and sorcery were part of his life. He even turned to sacrificing his own children—so this conclusion is perhaps even an understatement: “He did a huge amount of evil in the Lord’s sight, angering him” (2 Chron. 33:6).
His name was Manasseh, and he served as king for 55 years. His story of evil, however, is not the end of the story. God raised up an enemy who captured Manasseh and carried him to Babylon, where he was imprisoned. There, the king in bondage “sought the favor of the Lord his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors” (2 Chron. 33:12). Given the evil that marked Manasseh’s life, these next words then grab and hold my attention: “the Lord was receptive to his prayer” (2 Chron. 33:13).
The words are simple, but they carry much power. The Lord heard the prayers of a sinful, sinful man who sought him in humility. That truth ought to give us all hope today.
ACTION STEPS:
- Whatever sin you’re dealing with today, go to God in humility.
- Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy.
PRAYER: “God, I’m a guilty sinner. Humble me, that I might approach You rightly.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Nahum 1-3