Unfathomable Mercy

Manasseh was the son of righteous King Hezekiah but, unlike his father, he did not live a life which honoured God. In fact, he is reported as doing ‘evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (2 Chronicles 33:2). He rebuilt the pagan shrines which his father had broken down. He built new ones and was involved in many occultic practices. King Manasseh even ritually sacrificed at least two of his own children – a practice detestable in the eyes of God. He had shed so much innocent blood that it symbolically flooded the streets from one end of the city to the other (2 Kings 21:16).

If you needed a definition of wickedness, then King Manasseh fitted the description perfectly. Guilty as charged! He deserved judgement and perhaps righteous people at the time were even praying for this. After all, his actions were despicable and deserved the highest penalty available. Instead, after Manasseh humbled himself before God, he was reinstated as king and shown unfathomable mercy. I want to repeat – unfathomable mercy. To push the point a little harder, exchange King Manasseh for the name Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Hitler or Stalin. If these men had turned to God on their death beds, they too would have been shown unfathomable mercy. As shocking as that thought may be, it is true, nevertheless.

Mercy is defined as ‘compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm’ (Oxford Dictionary). Unfathomable means ‘incapable of being fully explored or understood’ (Oxford Dictionary). It can also mean mystifying, profound or baffling. God’s mercy is unfathomable because it defies human logic and understanding. Yet this is exactly what God offers to all those who are willing to humble themselves and accept it. Do you need the mercy of God today? It is available and He is waiting.

Prayer: Thank You, God, for Your unfathomable mercy. Amen.