Repentance Is Powerful!

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD . . .
He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing His anger. He took the image he had made and put it in God's temple . . . 
The LORD spoke to Manasseh and His people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to Him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.  
. . . He got rid of all the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the  LORD . . .   Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.
2 Chronicles 33:1-16
Manasseh was one of the most ungodly kings of Judah. Unlike his father Hezekiah who served the LORD faithfully, Manasseh turned his back on God. He had the audacity to put the image of a foreign god in the temple of the Almighty God. He sacrificed his children in the fire as offerings to his gods; he practiced divination and witchcraft; he sought omens and consulted mediums; he did much evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not heed to the warnings of God but continued to lead the people into idol worship.

Divine judgment was inevitable. God handed him over to the Assyrian soldiers who put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and hauled him off into exile in Babylon. In exile, his eyes were opened to his foolishness in forsaking the God of Israel who had made him king. Manasseh humbled himself in repentance and pleaded with God for mercy. God heard his cries, brought him back to rule in Jerusalem and restored the kingdom to him. What a merciful God we serve! And how powerful it is when we humble ourselves, repent from our sins and cry out to God for mercy!

We are never too far gone to repent and turn back to God. God is ever gracious and merciful. His greatest desire is that His children will not allow themselves to be entangled with sin, but to humble themselves and turn to Him in repentance. He promises to hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. We are never too far gone to turn back to God. No one is ever too far gone to be forgiven. Even the thief on the Cross was never too far gone when he repented right in the throes of death. Repentance is powerful.

Prayer: Father, I ask for the forgiveness of every sinful thing in my life. I repent today. Amen.