Today’s 333 Devotional: “Let’s Start Paying Attention”

Manasseh did evil in the sight of the Lord according to the nations God had kicked out of the Promised Land long ago.

“He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed.” (2 Kings 21:2-3a).

The sin of Manasseh wasn’t just following the idolatrous ways of the other nations, but also it was his deliberate undoing of what his father, Hezekiah, had taken such pains and time to accomplish for the glory of God.

The culmination of this evil effort was the building of altars to false gods in the Temple of the Lord (2 Kings 21:4).

But the real defining blow wasn’t Manasseh’s; rather it was the people’s heart at the undoing of God’s holy and righteous standards.

“They paid no attention.” (2 Kings 21:9a)

Because of the people’s complacency Manasseh was able to seduce them to do even more evil than they could ever imagine, more than all the idolatrous and godless nations surrounding them.

This story should be a wake up call for the church, because we have let slide not only the moral standards of God’s word, but have paid no attention to the commandments. We have likewise been seduced to even more evil. We therefore need to take heart to the words of the Lord.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” (Isaiah 5:20)

Edmund Burke said, “Evil flourishes when good men do nothing.”

Let’s follow God’s word and return to His ways and revival.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

There isn’t much time left!