Now we got ‘em!

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

Have you ever wondered why God should ever forgive us who repeatedly flaunt Him, ignore His calls to repentance and then do the same thing all over again?

If so, let me tell you about an unlikely character, if there ever was one, who repented and was forgiven.

Following the reign of a godly man by the name of Hezekiah, Manasseh who followed him put the nation in reverse, doing exactly what his predecessor has sought to abolish. Like what? First, he was flagrant in turning his back on God. Instead of worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as had his fathers before him had done, he erected altars to Baal and Ashteroth – the gods of the fields and sexuality.

He even practiced human sacrifice, offering his own sons –  his own flesh and blood – to Molech, the god of fire, according to the pagans. He promoted sorcery, divination and consulted mediums and witches. He destroyed the Word of God which, of course, condemned his actions. He murdered his own people, possibly ordering Isaiah to be literally sawed in two.

But – are you ready for this? –this depraved, vile person who was worthy of the scrapheap, repented! Here is the record: “But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and cried out humbly to the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request for help. So the Lord let Manasseh return to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Manasseh had finally realized that the Lord alone is God!” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13, NLT).

Can you believe that? God actually forgave him! He will forgive you also, and He expects you to do the same of those who wrong you. How can we do less than forgive when He has forgiven us? Yes, how?

* * *

Used with permission from Guidelines International Ministries. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, send an e-mail to [email protected]. You may also visit www.guidelines.org.