God of the Fresh Start 使我们重新开始的上帝

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Dexu Xia

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May 4, 2025, 5:37:10 PM5/4/25

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When he prayed to him, the Lord was moved. 2 Chronicles 33:13

Today's Scripture 2 Chronicles 33:10-17

Today's Insights The fifty-five-year reign of Manasseh, king of Judah, is summarized in 2 Kings 21:2: “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Manasseh “rebuilt the high places” and set up “an Asherah pole” (21:3), a sacred pole that honored the pagan goddess Asherah. In addition, he shed “much innocent blood” and led his people to follow his wrongdoing (v. 16). His life is further described in 2 Chronicles 33. He defiled the temple by setting up “altars to the Baals” and “bowed down to all the starry hosts” (v. 3). He even sacrificed his own children (v. 6). But after being taken captive to Babylon, Manasseh greatly humbled and prayed to God, was returned to his throne in Jerusalem, and ended his reign seeking to right his many wrongs (vv. 10-17). Likewise, we can humbly turn to Him for a fresh start.

Today's Devotional “The Merchant of Death is Dead!” That was the headline for an obituary that may have caused Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, to make a course correction in his life. But the newspaper made a mistake—Alfred was very much alive. It was his brother Ludvig who had died. When Alfred realized he’d be remembered for a dangerous invention that claimed many lives, he decided to donate most of his significant wealth to establishing an award for those who had benefited humanity. It became known as the Nobel Prize.

More than two thousand years earlier, another powerful man had a change of heart. Manasseh, king of Judah, rebelled against God. As a result, he was taken captive to Babylon. But “in his distress he sought the favor of the Lord,” and greatly humbled “when he prayed,” God “brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). Manasseh spent the rest of his rule in peace, serving God and doing his best to undo the wrongs he’d done before. “The Lord was moved” by Manasseh’s prayer (v. 13). God responds to humility. When we realize we need to make a change in the way we’re living and turn to Him, He never turns us away. He meets us with grace we don’t deserve and renews us with the self-giving love He poured out at the cross. New beginnings begin with Him.

Reflect & Pray Where in your life do you need to have a change of heart? How will you turn to God today?

Forgiving Father, thank You that You’ll never turn me away. Please help me to turn to You with all my heart in all I do today.

By James Banks

“他祈求上帝，上帝就允准了他的祈求。”历代志下 33:13

今日经文：历代志下 33章10-17节

今日心得：犹大王玛拿西五十五年的统治在列王纪下21:2中被概括为：“他行耶和华眼中看为恶的事。”玛拿西“重建邱坛”，并设立“亚舍拉神像”（21:3），这神像是为了纪念异教女神亚舍拉。此外，他还流了“许多无辜人的血”，并带领他的人民效仿他的恶行（16节）。历代志下33章进一步描述了他的一生。他“为巴力筑坛”，玷污圣殿，并“向天上的万象下拜”（3节）。他甚至将自己的儿女献为祭物（6节）。但玛拿西被掳到巴比伦后极其谦卑地向上帝祷告，得以回到耶路撒冷的王位上，在末后的统治中，他寻求纠正所犯下的诸多错误（10-17节）。同样，我们也可以谦卑地转向上帝，寻求新的开始。

今日灵修 “死亡商人死了！” 这是一篇讣告的标题，或许这标题促使炸药的发明者阿尔弗雷德·诺贝尔改变了人生方向。但是，报社犯了一个错误，阿尔弗雷德还活着。死去的是他的兄弟路德维格。当阿尔弗雷德意识到自己将因一项夺去众多生命的危险发明而被人们铭记时，他决定捐出他的大部分财富，设立一个奖项，表彰那些为人类做出贡献的人。这个奖项就是后来的诺贝尔奖。

两千多年前，另一位权势显赫的人物改变了心意。犹大王玛拿西背叛了上帝。结果，他被掳到巴比伦。但“他在急难之中祈求耶和华”，“他极其谦卑，祷告上帝，神就使他归回耶路撒冷，恢复他的国度”（历代志下 33:12-13）。玛拿西在他余下的统治时期过着平静的生活，侍奉神，尽力弥补他以前所犯的罪孽。 “耶和华允准玛拿西的祷告”（13节）。上帝回应谦卑人的祷告。当我们意识到我们需要改变生活方式并转向上帝时，祂绝不会拒绝我们。上帝以我们不配得的恩典与我们同在，并以祂在十字架上倾注的舍己之爱更新我们。新的开始是始于祂（上帝）。

反思与祷告：你生命中哪些方面需要改变心意？你今天将如何转向神？肯宽恕人的天父阿，感谢祢永不拒绝我。请帮助我在今天所做的一切事上全心转向祢。