June 09, 2021: To Humble Ourselves unto the Lord is the Beginning of Our Maturity and Growth in Him.

Our maturity in ourselves can be measured in many ways. It can be measured by the foolish things we do or do not do in our lives. It can also be measured by the mature decisions we make for ourselves. The world's standards of maturity are also in complete opposite of what God says what maturity is.

In the Book of 2 Chronicles, King Manasseh had taken over the throne as king from his father, King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah was a great king who followed in the footsteps of King David. He honored God in everything he did. During his reign, the king of Syria was invading the territory of Judah and Jerusalem. King Hezekiah quickly called upon the prophet Isaiah and they both cried out to their God in heaven about this crisis. (2 Chronicles 32)

On the other hand, King Manasseh was the opposite of his father, King Hezekiah. King Manasseh did evil and detestable things before the people of Israel and the Lord, arousing His anger.

2 Chronicles 33: 1-2, & 9

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

God spoke with King Manasseh, but he refused to listen to God and paid no attention to Him, so God set out to show the king who was truly in control of all things on earth.

2 Chronicles 33: 10-13 (NIV)

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.13 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.

The sad thing is, we too ignore the Lord in our own lives. The Lord speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. He may speak to us in a small audible voice in our hearts, but we tend to ignore the prompting of His direction. So, then God needs to step in and get our attention, sometimes in very drastic ways. We hopefully get the message and "surrender and humble" ourselves before the Lord and He restores us back to Him.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

Let us not get to the point in our lives where God must bring about drastic measures to get our attention. Let us always be "absolutely surrendered and humble" to our God and always give Him the honor and glory He deserves. (Romans 11: 36)