When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. | 2 Chronicles 33:12-13
After Hezekiah, his son Manasseh became the king of Judah. Unlike his father who walked uprightly before the Lord, Manasseh committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord. He rebuilt high places which his father had broken down; erected altars to worship false gods; worshipped idols inside God’s temple; sacrificed his sons to these false gods; practiced sorcery, witchcraft, divination; his reign led his people astray. 2 Chronicles 33:1-9
But then one day, when Manasseh became a captive in Babylon, he humbled his heart before the Lord and repented. The Lord kept His promise and restores Mannaseh to the throne. From then on, Manasseh turned 180-degree from his wicked ways and made a tremendous effort to rebuilt and restore what he previously destroyed.
When his son, Amon, succeeded him from the throne, he did the same wicked ways as his father and multiplied it. But unlike Manasseh, Amon did not humble himself. He did not change from his wicked ways. Thus, the people conspired to kill him and made his son, Josiah, king in his place.
REFLECTION: When have you struggled like Manasseh? Perhaps letting negative influences creep in, leading others astray or ignoring God’s call? How did you return to the Lord, or how can you take steps to make it right today?
As humans, we are very flawed and although we try to do the things of the Lord, at some point we still forget and go on our own way.
I am in so many ways like Manasseh. I knew what is wrong in the sight of the Lord. I knew that disobedience is costly. I knew that the Lord only wanted what’s good for me to direct me to the path where He could use me and bring other people with me to Him. I knew that God’s love is sovereign and that when we repent from our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us from our sins. I knew that God’s ability to forgive shouldn’t make it easy for me to commit and enjoy doing what is not right.
Even when I knew these things in my mind, I still do what is wrong and disobey Christ directly. Sometimes, I’m making God’s love as an excuse that I’ll be forgiven after committing the sin and asking for forgiveness. I abuse God’s privilege as His daughter every time I see fit. Yet, when the time comes that my heart cannot take any more of the guilt, the fear, and the shame — and I once again, humble my heart before the Lord, He gives me another chance. He never fails.
For You have loved me, though I have failed you, over and over.
Bread of Life, Citipointe Live
Then I try to go back to the path where He wants to take me. Not relying on my own strength or will to do it right this time but on His power that He can unchain me from the bondage that I tied myself around so tightly. I pray that I will continue to focus on Him because every single time that I get distracted and look around me, I always end up messing up again. I am not perfect and I know I am going to willfully commit something that I told the Lord I wont’ do again, but I pray that I would be getting up and doing better. Depending on Him every step of the way. After all, there’s nothing I can do apart from Christ.
Devo Background via First5: But Wait, There’s More!
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