Reading: 2 Chronicles 33
In today’s passage, Manasseh takes over for his father, Hezekiah, at the age of twelve. Unlike his father He does evil in the sight of the LORD. As I read this today, I read it with my mom heart because all I could think of is how Hezekiah made things right and sought the LORD and that should have been passed onto his son, but it wasn’t.
How could Manasseh turn from all that God had done for Israel and instead seek Baal and other wooden images? He did an about face of what his father had done. As I read today, I thought of all the mama’s and dad’s out there that have had a rebellious child. You have raised them to see God working in you and your home, you have trained them in the ways they are to go; and still, they rebel and go in the wrong direction. They turn from God and seek the world’s system over everything else.
Let me encourage you today with this story of Manasseh and know that we serve a good God that loves us and our children. Also I want to personally thank you for raising them right and teaching them who God is, even when you do not see anything right now in the natural. Our children have to make decisions for themselves. Continue to pray for your children. I’ve been encouraged by the scripture that says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (Jas 5:16 KJV) I know that God hears our prayers for our children, even when they make decisions that we know are wrong. God is faithful and our prayers are heard, so keep praying, declaring, and speaking truth over them.
The Lord had spoken to Manasseh in the beginning, and he refused to listen. However, when Manasseh was taken away to Babylon bound in with bronze fetters, he sought the LORD. Often people need to hit rock bottom before they call out to God. Thankfully our God does not hold our past failures against us. Otherwise, Paul too, would never have been a writer of most of the new testament. God hears all His children, even the lost ones that have wandered away.
“Now when he (Manasseh) was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD [was] God.” (2Ch 33:12-13 NKJV)
I love this passage and I hope you see the hope here. First Manasseh had been taken prisoner. From king to prisoner. It was in that time that he implored the LORD. I can only image he was on his knees bowed down to God in prayer. He was no longer on top of the world and now was able to humble himself before God in honest prayer.
This reminds me of the parable of the lost son. Instead of being taken away prisoner, he went on his own into the world to do his own thing. “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him [anything].” (Luk 15:14-16 NKJV) This son was in such a bad place that the food that the pigs were eating looked good. I don’t know about you, but things must be really, bad to think pig slop looks good.
Both men were in dire situations. One humbled himself and prayed to his heavenly Father; the other humbled himself and went back to his earthly father. Humility is not a popular word in the world. Instead, pride is something that many take as a badge of honor. People want to do things on their own and self is the god of this world. Both men tried to do things on their own and it did not work out well for either of them.
Thankfully they were received and restored to their positions as king and son respectively. Through Jesus, we are now sons and kings. When we have fallen away or hit rock bottom, God is faithful to restore us. He is not a respecter of persons, and He will do it for your children as well when they are ready.
God brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and restored him to his place as king of Israel. God was no longer the God of his father, but now God was his God also. I pray that for those that have a son or daughter living a rebellious life that you would know there is always hope. Pray that they have a real encounter with our God and that through that encounter, they would know without question that the God that you serve is also for them. Be encouraged mama’s and dads. Continue to pray. God is faithful and will hear your prayer. Rest in that assurance.