Do you think you’ve done such terrible things that you have no future? Do you keep trying to make up for past mistakes without relief or peace? Do you think God can’t possibly forgive you?
Meet Manasseh, king of Judah. “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out” (2 Chronicles 33:2). Verses 3-6 say that he built altars to false gods and worshipped them, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists.
Manasseh sacrificed his own sons in the fire in the Valley of Himnom and placed an image he made in God’s temple (verses 6-7).
[The king] “led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites” (verse 9).
You might be thinking, I need forgiveness, but at least I didn’t take a whole nation down with me. You might wonder what will happen to him.
Consequences followed when Manasseh and the people of Jerusalem wouldn’t listen to God’s warnings. Manasseh became a prisoner of the army commanders of the king of Assyria.
They put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Assyria. Not exactly royal attire.
In despair, Manasseh humbly prayed to God, and God forgave him. He took the king back to Jerusalem and his kingdom. He returned a changed leader.
God will listen to you too. He longs to forgive you and give you a future. He had his Son Jesus die on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins.
Go to him in prayer as Manasseh did, and you’ll find a loving heavenly Father eager to forgive you too.
Happy Easter.
Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega March 21, 2016
