Photo by Dave Reusser
He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord … II Chron 33:6 (NIV)
King Hezekiah surely could have used some parenting advice when it came to raising Manasseh. Talk about a juvenile delinquent! Once Hezekiah died and Manasseh became king, nothing was sacred throughout the land. For 55 years, Manasseh performed evil acts. Thankfully, Manasseh later called on God’s name and God forgave him.
My friend Justine relayed some distressing news to our Bible Study group. Her son had broken up with his long-time fiancé and begun dating a stripper. When Justine and her husband found out about Jack’s illicit relationship, they were saddened, but didn’t despair. They knew God could turn Jack’s heart toward Him, so they began praying for Jack. Years passed. Jack and the stripper broke up. Jack returned to God, sorry for the way he had lived. He reunited with his former fiancé who was a Christian. After much Christian counseling, they again became engaged.
Manasseh and Jack both turned away from God and their families’ heritages. Yet, God didn’t turn His back on them. When our children stray from their upbringing, it is heartbreaking. We can take courage from God’s example and practice patience. After all, God wrote the book on child-rearing!
God, when we are discouraged because our kids don’t love You, help us to keep love for them in our hearts. Amen.
Writing of Kayleen Reusser 
Leave a Reply