SCRIPTURE
2 Chronicles 30:1-12 (NRSV)
Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord the God of Israel. For the king and his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the passover in the second month (for they could not keep it at its proper time because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem). The plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the passover to the Lord the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers as prescribed. So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, as the king had commanded, saying, "O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your ancestors and your kindred, who were faithless to the Lord God of their ancestors, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. Do not now be stiff-necked as your ancestors were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For as you return to the Lord, your kindred and your children will find compassion with their captors, and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him."
So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Only a few from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the officials commanded by the word of the Lord.
DEVOTION
When I was a little girl in Sunday School, I was taught that the word "repent" means "to turn around."
That definition has stuck with me all of my life; whenever I sin and fall short of God's glory, I remind myself that I can always re-turn (or turn again) to God and God will forgive me.
In today's scripture King Hezekiah reminds the people of Israel and Judah that "God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him."
It is my prayer that all of us will believe--and receive--this profound truth today!
I fear that some of us may truly believe that we have messed up too big, and too bad, for God to forgive us. This is not true my friends! No matter who you are, what you've done, or whom you've hurt, if you are truly sorry with all your heart and turn-again to God, GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU!!
A prison chaplain once told me that during testimony service a woman stood up and declared, "I thank God that I only broke the commandment to "Thou Shalt Not Kill, ONE TIME!" (gasp!)
My Lord! If this woman could return to God and receive God's forgiveness, so can we!
Although we sometimes continue to reap the earthly consequences of our poor choices (e.g., this woman stayed in prison even after her repentance)--we are still eternally forgiven by the God who made us, loves us, and gave Jesus to die on the cross to atone for our sin and gift us with eternal life.
Scripture teaches us that when we put all of our hope in Jesus, confessing our sin and receiving God's forgiveness, we are gifted with eternal life!
Today, won't you please return to our God?
Let us pray: Oh God! I have strayed so far away from you. I don't know what I was thinking. Today I return to you, asking you to forgive my sin, cleanse me of unrighteousness, and make me like Jesus. I put all of my hope in Jesus to secure my forgiveness and eternal life. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for sinners, so that means he died on the cross for me! Please help me to start all over again with your Holy Spirit as my guide and Teacher. I need you and I love you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
SPECIAL NOTE
If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, today you are a Christian! I would be so honored if you would take a moment to let me know that you put all of your hope in Jesus today by clicking YES in the upper right hand corner of this blog in answer to the question, "Did God save you today?"
I also pray that you will tell a Christian friend about your decision, so that s/he can help you find a good Bible believing church to attend where you can be baptized and grow in your faith.
Congratulations! Your salvation is our good news. Please share the good news with someone today!
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