Do you have a hook in your nose?

I recently  read a passage of Scripture from 2 Chronicles 33 that resonates with an excellent book I am reading by Priscilla Shirer, “Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks.” Shirer’s main point is that God does indeed speak to His children as much today as He did with the Old Testament Prophets and New Testament Disciples.  Of course, it is hard to believe at times that God would speak to little ‘ol me and you, but yes, He does.  God is longing to get our attention and does so by speaking to us through the Holy Spirit whispering His still small voice into our hearts and minds, using circumstances that clearly point out His plan, as well as the Scriptures that proclaim His Word and through others who speak on His behalf into our lives.

As I was cruising through 2 Chronicles, in an effort to keep up with my reading plan, I was stopped dead in my tracks by the story of Manasseh, King of Judah. The chapter begins like many others in Chronicles, describing a King who “did evil in the eyes of the LORD,” but elaborates to describe Manasseh’s acts as more evil than those before.  Manasseh “led the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations of the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.”  Hmm.  Not very bright, right?

But this story isn’t simply about Manasseh and his evil.  It is just as much about God and His heart for His people.  In verse 10, the Word says, “The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.”  Did you see that?  God SPOKE to His people, but they DID NOT LISTEN.  Yikes.  I can see myself in this story.  Can you?  I can go astray on my own, be led astray by others, and definitely miss the voice of God when He is speaking to me.  The Message uses the word ignore.  Yup.  That can be me.  How about you?

But the story doesn’t end there.  Because Manasseh did not listen, God had him captured by the King of Assyria who took him as prisoner and put a hook in his nose.  Quite a fashion statement.  Apparently, it was enough of a trauma to get Manasseh’s attention.  In verse 12-13, the story continues, “In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.  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.”

I am so encouraged by how God responded to Manasseh!  God doesn’t just want us to listen to Him — He is also waiting to listen to us.  He is longing to see our lives transformed, as He moves us from one place of sin to another place of praise.  Manasseh needed a life change!  We often do, too.  But God is the one that accomplishes that for us, as we approach Him with humility, shifting our sights off our our own gain and positioning our ears to hear His voice.  Of course, things had to get real bad for Manasseh to pay attention to God, as it does for us sometimes, too.  He cried out in distress, as do we.  That’s a good thing.  But wouldn’t it be great if we could adopt the posture of humility when we are not in distress?  If God listens to us, and is moved by our prayers of distress, imagine how much more our lives could be radically transformed if we, in all humility, approached the Lord daily in praise, speaking to Him and listening even more closely during the times of peace.

The chapter continues with such delightful news.  You should read it!  Manasseh was so affected by knowing that the LORD is God that he completely changed his ways and rebuilt, restored, and led righteously the people of God until his death.

Brilliant hope.

It makes me think, amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like him…like me….like you.

May we live today marked by God’s grace and transforming power, participating with God in rebuilding and restoring what has been nearly destroyed by our sin, living righteously before God in this moment.