A CRY FROM THE HEART

I believe God's merciful love is revealed in response to a cry from the heart—not just any cry, but a humble cry for deliverance. The Bible has much to say about this cry from the heart. "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears" (Psalm 18:6).

"Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry" (Psalm 106:43-44).

You can be sure that a cry to God will always be answered by a healing word from heaven! No one is too wicked or too hopeless if he reaches out to God in humility. The story of the wicked King Manasseh proves it! The Bible says he was one of the most wicked kings of Israel. "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord… For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal…and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them…. And he made his son pass through the fire…and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards; he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 21:2-6).

"So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen.… And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they would not hearken" (2 Chronicles 33:9-10).

Is there hope for someone who gets so far from God, so possessed by evil and darkness? Yes, if he will humble himself, and confess and believe Christ’s victory at the cross. Manasseh ended up a prisoner in a foreign nation, bound with chains. What a vivid picture of the wages of sin. But in his affliction, he cried out and God heard him, forgave him, and restored him.

"And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).

“And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city” (v. 15).

The word of hope, forgiveness, mercy, love and restoration is for you! Heed his Word, repent, and then be made whole and walk with the Lord! There is no sin that can’t be forgiven—no one is too far down to be healed and restored.