GOD is trying to DRAW our ATTENTION today!

 

May 12 Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles Chapters 31-33

GOD is trying to DRAW our ATTENTION today!

"And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he 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." (2 Chron. 33:10-13)

It is often said that one’s faith is always within one generation of dying out. This observation finds validation over and over in the Old Testament record. No sooner had Hezekiah died than his son Manasseh began to subvert all the good things his father had done. Most particularly Manasseh reintroduced idolatry to Judah, going so far as to practice human sacrifice and to place images within the holy temple of the Lord (33:1–9). This makes one wonder if the fifteen years extension that Hezekiah had received from God was actually a good thing in the end – for it was during this period that Manasseh was born to him who would resort to all evil activities.

In 2 Chron. 33:10, we read that God patiently tried to talk Manasseh out of his evil deeds, but Manasseh would not listen (v. 10). To draw his attention, God used the Assyrians to invade Judah and capture Manasseh. Manasseh had now lost his throne, power, and even his freedom. He was separated from his evil counselors and companions, and had no chance of freedom from the wretched prison (v. 11). He must have thought upon what had passed and humbled himself greatly before God as he began to cry for mercy and deliverance (v. 12). God, displaying His loving kindness and tender mercies once again, heard the supplication of Manasseh and restored his kingdom back by bringing him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord of Israel was truly God.

It is possible that like Manasseh, we may drift away from God as we are engaged to fulfill our own agendas and plans. God is always trying to communicate with us through dreams, through His word and even through His prophets but if we do not pay attention, God may bring adversity in our lives to draw our attention. If God knows every thought in our hearts, every cell in our bodies, and every hair on our heads – God knows definitely what we are going through. If we have sinned against God, today let us turn back to God and call upon His name. He will hear our prayer and will deliver us.

God is trying to draw our attention today - let us remember His timeless promises as we turn to Him:

• "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jer. 33:3)
• "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24)
• "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)