In 2 Chronicles 33, we read the story of king Manasseh.

(I know you’re saying, “Who?” Hang with me, I will get to my point before your eyes glaze over, I promise!)

His bio reads like this: He was another bad king in the long line of bad kings that were ruling in Judah. He rebuilt the pagan altars that his father (the prior king) had torn down.  He constructed new altars and poles for these gods, including building some in the courtyard and one actually inside the temple of the Lord. (That is evil on a whole new level!) He sacrificed his own son to these gods and did all sorts of ‘sorcery, divination and witchcraft’ (vs 6, NLT)

Obviously, this angered God.  God warned him, but he didn’t listen and was eventually punished. The Assyrians came, stuck a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains and carried him away to Babylon.

I love what the Bible says next: “But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God, and cried out humbly to the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request for help. So the Lord let Manasseh return to Jerusalem and to his kingdom.  Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God!”  (vs 12-13, NLT).  Side note: My Bible actually included the exclamation mark at the end of that sentence- that was not my editing, although I was excited as well!  Manasseh’s life was forever changed, and he went back to Judah and changed the city.

Contrary to what Manasseh did outwardly, God was still in his heart.  So much so that this scripture refers to God as ‘his’ God.  Manasseh humbled himself.  How much lower can you go than a hook through your nose and chains on your ankles and wrists? He went low,  and he prayed.  He talked to God- you know that kind of conversations that you have with God when you are at your lowest point- and it moved the heart of God.

We can never be so far removed from God that His ear is deaf to our voice, no matter how deep our distress may be.  Manasseh shows us that God will always answer a humble prayer.  In his distress, Manasseh was ready to change his life, and God intervened.  That is the true nature of our heavenly father.  Nothing can separate us from His love. ~Shiney