말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Verse]

“Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.” (2 Chronicles 33:1-2)

[Our Story]

When I was young, we didn’t have a designated playground. We usually played in the open yard in front of the village hall. Back then, there were quite a few children in the neighborhood. The boys played games like soccer, biseok-chigi (stone-toppling), jajichigi (stick game), and squid game, while the girls mostly played jump rope games using elastic bands. Since many children shared one small space, claiming the village yard often led to fierce turf wars. One day, after school, my friends and I went to the yard to play biseok-chigi. But to our surprise, the girls had already taken the spot and were busy playing jump rope. We knew asking them to move would be pointless—they wouldn’t yield. So the boys huddled together to come up with a strategy to stop the game. Several ideas were tossed around, but we chose the easiest and most effective: cut the jump rope. We approached the girls quietly and, using a small knife, cut the elastic rope. It had to be quick and precise—no room for error. But I didn’t move fast enough and got hit by the recoiling band. What I hadn’t anticipated was the force that comes when something stretched out snaps back—resilience.

[Bible Story]

2 Chronicles 33 recounts how King Manasseh and his son Amon returned to sin—what we might call the resilience of sin. Manasseh became king at twelve and ruled for 55 years, doing what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Sadly, he returned to the sinful ways of his grandfather Ahaz, reviving the detestable Canaanite religions. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He set up altars for Baal, made Asherah poles, and worshiped the stars (2 Chronicles 33:1–3). But it didn’t stop there. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom, practiced divination, consulted mediums, and summoned spirits. Because of the sins of Manasseh and the people of Judah, God’s anger burned against them (2 Chronicles 33:4–9). As judgment, God allowed the Assyrian army to capture Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:11). After Manasseh, his son Amon reigned, walking in his father’s sinful ways. The pull of sin—its resilience—had grown stronger. Amon also did evil in the Lord’s sight, worshiped idols, and became proud. Eventually, he was assassinated by his own officials (2 Chronicles 33:21–25). Yet, there’s a glimpse of hope: during his affliction, Manasseh humbled himself and repented. This act of turning back shows that even in the face of sin’s powerful pull, resilience toward repentance is possible.

[Your Story]

What kind of thoughts have been occupying your mind lately? What are you drawn to? What captures your attention and pulls you in? The direction and angle of your thoughts often follow what attracts and entices you. Take some time to reflect. Why not write those thoughts down on paper? Then try sorting and organizing them. Writing them out may help you evaluate their direction more clearly. If your thoughts are drifting toward evil, turn back—before they gain momentum. But if they’re moving toward what is good, press on. Let those thoughts gain even more momentum. May today be a day when you turn from sin and run toward the Lord.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

With joy,
Pastor Hyung Joong Kim

Copyright ⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim