God

Prodigal

/ Gail Johnson / 5 Comments

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV) 

Every year, we pull scriptures to piece together the perfect Christmas program. What we don’t include is Christ’s genealogy. Sadly, people admit they skip those hard-to-pronounce names in devotional time. What they don’t realize is there are astounding stories behind those names!

Hang with me here. I know it’s the busiest part of the year. But I want to share a story within Christ’s story. A tale of horror, rebellion, and captivity. It’s also a story of love, mercy, and forgiveness.

You can read the story later in 2 Kings 20:21, 21:1-18, 2 Chronicles 33:1-20, Jeremiah 15:14.

Child King

The Bible tells us that Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king and reigned for fifty-five years. His parents were Hezekiah and Hephzibah. Hezekiah did what was right in the sight of God. He removed the wickedness his daddy Ahaz committed in the land and brought back the worship of YHWH.

Manasseh, on the other hand, followed in his grandaddy’s footsteps and did evil in the Lord’s sight by delving into the occult, human sacrifices, and idolatry. Idol worship often included temple prostitution. In his commentary, Adam Clark writes that Ahaz (grandaddy), Manasseh (grandson), and Amon (great-grandson) did their best to destroy every copy of the written law.

Transgressor

Below is a list of Manasseh’s transgressions according to 2 Kings 21:1-18.

Rebuilt the high places of idolatry Hezekiah destroyed.
Built pagan altars in the temple of God.
Built altars in two courts of the house of God for the hosts of heaven
Worshiped Baal and the hosts of heaven (sun, moon, and stars)
Sacrificed his own son by fire to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom
Observed times. Practiced divination. Consulted spiritists and mediums.
Carved and set an Asherah (Canaanite fertility goddess) pole in the temple.
Shed innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to the other. (Tradition says he had Isaiah sawn into.)

Eighteen verses later, we read, “And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.”

A tragic ending if we stop reading there. But God wasn’t through with this transgressor.

Captive

When we sin, it affects everyone in our lives. If only we had listened. If only we had not . . .

Earlier, the Lord promised David and Solomon he would care and protect Israel if they heeded his words and kept his commandments. Yes, Israel and Judah had been riddled with wicked kings, but the evil had never been as prevalent as in the days of Manasseh. The Bible says, “he (Manasseh) seduced his people to do more evil than the nations God had destroyed before the children of Israel.” God told his prophets that because of what Manasseh, king of Judah, had done and made Judah do, he would forsake them and deliver them to their enemies (Kings 21:10-15).

While Manasseh was busy destroying his kingdom, the world around him watched, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Remember, the surrounding kingdoms knew God protected his people. Earlier, during Hezekiah’s reign, the Assyrian army besieged the kingdom, but God sent an angel to destroy them. Judah was safe in the arms of God. Right?

But the Lord’s people had abandoned Him for other gods. While they worshiped their idols, the Assyrian king invaded and captured a thirty-five-year-old Manasseh with hooks, bound him in chains, and transported him back to Babylon, where he remained for twelve years.

Prodigal

Rather than spending his reign caring for his people, Manasseh wasted his time, money, and energy killing innocent people, committing perversion in the house of the Lord, and seeking false gods that couldn’t help in time of need.

Thankfully, Kings 21:18 isn’t the end of Manasseh’s story. In his affliction, Manasseh humbled himself and prayed. God heard his prayers and brought him back to Jerusalem and his kingdom. “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 (KJV)

Is that a love story, or is that a love story?!

Beloved

Jesus told a story of another boy who squandered his blessings and forsook his upbringing. And when all was lost, came to himself and repented.

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15:18-20 (KJV)

My friend, God’s love is no different today. If you think you’ve gone too far, all you have to do is turn around. Change directions and run to the Father. Plead mercy. Ask forgiveness. Invite Jesus into your heart.

He’s waiting.

Thankfulness

/ Gail Johnson / 12 Comments

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100:4 (KJV)

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.

Henri-Frederic Amiel (1821-1881)

Strength in His Design

/ Gail Johnson / 12 Comments

This past year, I’ve posted pictures with quotes about design.

This week’s design quote is by Charles Eames.

is a plan for arranging elements in a way that best accomplishes a particular purpose(1)

Design

Although design can pertain to many things, my thoughts when posting were on God’s design to help us live a victorious life. For example…

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Perfection refers to completeness and maturity. Paul said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (Philippians 3:13-15 KJV).

Let’s not settle for imperfection, but let us press on that we may be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect (See Matthew 5:48).

Good design encourages a viewer to want to learn more. Alexander Isley

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16 KJV).

Our lives are a testimony. And our actions always speak louder than words. Do our actions inspire others to learn more about Christ? Let us shine forth a light that others may see Jesus in us.

Great design is eliminating all unnecessary details. Minh D. Tran

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV).

Let us not get tangled up again in the yoke of bondage from which Christ has made us free (See Galatians 5:1 KJV). May we allow the Designer to remove all unnecessary details of our lives.

Strength

I haven’t forgotten about strength. Remember Webster’s definition of strength? It is the ability to resist being moved or broken by a force.

There are three responses to a piece of design—yes, no, and wow! Wow is the one to aim for. Milton Glaser

Jesus said, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24-25 KJV).

It’s not only our actions that matter but our reactions. The way we react to certain situations tells the real story of what goes on when we’re alone. When our faith, hope, and trust is founded upon the Rock, we will withstand the storms of this life in a manner pleasing to our Designer. Let us be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (See Ephesians 6:10). For He is our strength and power, and He alone makes our way perfect (See 2 Samuel 22:33).

God’s design has a particular purpose. He alone knows the best design, gift, and plan for us. He also knows precisely what it will take for us to accomplish His purpose and to withstand every storm in this life. From “in the beginning” of Genesis to the final “amen” of Revelations, God’s design offers strength and life. All we must do is allow Him to transform us into the perfect design.

Click to Tweet: From “in the beginning” of Genesis to the final “amen” of Revelations, God’s design offers strength and life. @GailJohnson87 #trust #devotional

Photo courtesy of Pixabay