September 18

September 18th, 2025

From Rebellion to Renewal

Today's Reading

Old Testament

2 Kings 21
2 Chronicles 33
Psalm 71

New Testament

2 Corinthians 3

Devotion

2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33 tell the story of King Manasseh, one of the most notoriously wicked kings in Judah’s history. He led the people astray with idolatry, desecrated the temple, and practiced occultism. His sin was so extreme that it sealed Judah’s eventual downfall. Yet 2 Chronicles 33 records something astonishing that 2 Kings does not emphasize: Manasseh repented. After being taken captive by the Assyrians, he humbled himself before God, prayed, and was restored. When he returned to Jerusalem, he tore down the idols he had once set up and worked to undo the damage he had done.

This powerful story reminds us that no one is beyond redemption. God’s mercy reaches even those who have deeply rebelled. Manasseh’s life is a testimony to the truth that repentance and humility open the door for restoration, even when the consequences of our past remain.

Psalm 71 reflects the heart of someone who has known God from youth and now, in older age, calls on Him again. The psalmist acknowledges trouble but declares hope and praise. This is the posture of someone who knows that God’s faithfulness endures through every season, and that even with a complicated history, there is still a future worth living for in God's strength.

2 Corinthians 3 shifts our view to the new covenant—a covenant not written on stone tablets but on human hearts by the Spirit of God. Paul writes that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with unveiled faces, are being transformed into the image of Christ with ever-increasing glory. This is a picture of ongoing transformation—not just forgiveness, but complete renewal.

Taken together, these passages remind us that God not only forgives but transforms. Like Manasseh, we can return. Like the psalmist, we can lean on God in every season. And like the Corinthians, we can live as people being changed day by day by the Spirit of God—not by guilt or religion, but by the freedom and power of His presence.

Reflection Questions

In what areas of your life are you tempted to believe that change or healing is impossible? What does Manasseh’s story teach you about God’s grace?
How do you see God’s faithfulness in the different seasons of your life, as reflected in Psalm 71?
Are you living in the freedom and transformation that comes from the Spirit, or are you still trying to change through your own strength?

Prayer

Father God, Thank You that no one is too far gone for Your grace. I confess the places where I have wandered or tried to change myself without You. Teach me to humble myself and return to You fully. Thank You for being faithful through every season of my life. Fill me with Your Spirit and transform me from the inside out, day by day, into the likeness of Christ. Amen.

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