August 2 - The Lord Was Moved

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When we move toward God,
God is moved!

So often in talking to preChristians about Jesus, I’ve heard these words, “I’m not good enough to be a Christian. God could never forgive what I’ve done!” In response, I often tell the story of Nicky Cruz. He was the notorious leader of the Mau-Maus, a vicious street gang from New York. Nicky would slit throats because he liked the smell of blood, but he was the first gang member converted under David Wilkerson’s ministry (check out The Cross and the Switchblade). His transformation led to the founding of Teen Challenge. If God could forgive Nicky and change his life so powerfully, no one is beyond His love.

The same could be said of the two stories in our readings today. Manasseh was without a doubt the most evil king of Judah, worse than even the worst king of the northern tribes, and apparently worse than any of the pagan kings around them. Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites (33:9). He undid all the good his father, King Hezekiah, had accomplished during his extended life, desecrating the very Temple of God with an Asherah Pole.

But when God stopped Manasseh by having him dragged into exile, he actually repented! 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 (33:11-13). That phrase “The Lord was moved” shocked me. I know God is merciful but after what Manasseh had done why wasn’t God angry or at least a little cynical?

Fast forward to our story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus felt compelled to travel through Samaria, instead of skirting around the region as most self-respecting Jews would do! Apparently His heart was moved by not only a despised half-breed Samaritan, but a woman (in those days Rabbis didn’t waste their time teaching women). Worse yet, she was an immoral woman, who had been married five times and was now living with a man who was not her husband. But Jesus changed her life that day, so dramatically that many from her town also became followers of Jesus (4:39-42).

“Lord, no matter how good or bad I think I’ve been, I need Your grace and I’m never beyond it. When I move toward You, You are moved!”