2 Chronicles 7:12–22; 2 Kings 21:1–17; 2 Corinthians 4:7–17
A great tragedy occurs every day, babies and children are abandoned. In all grace and truth, many of the parents are truly afraid of the responsibility and their inability to fulfill it. Some of these are abandoned at hospitals in the same way as babies used to be left at the doors of orphanages.
If you are a parent, you probably can only imagine the heartache and life circumstances that a parent could ever abandon their child.
Society is at a point where adult children are remaining in their parents’ home longer, whether it is due to jobs, education, lack of opportunity, or lack of romance. The attitude of people is changing as this is becoming too common for it to be solely an individual issue. Parents are looking at their children, wanting the best, but not desiring to abandon them to the world.
No matter how much a parent loves their child (or children) however, there can be limits to a peaceful home. There are always rules and boundaries. At some point, violating the rules and crossing the boundaries becomes too much.
Think of God. His children (of Israel) had abandoned God by actions and by heart. They willingly walked away from their “parent”. They knowingly and willingly violated the rules and crossed boundaries that God had set in place to protect them.
From Moses’ speech in Deuteronomy to God’s admonition to Solomon, God was quite clear that there were consequences. In the admonition to Manasseh, we get the feeling though…abandonment. In the CSB version, “I will abandon the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies.”
Yes, God was angry. Yet, abandon is not a small word. It is also not as if God was going to leave them there. However, for a time, it would be as if God were not with them.
Would God’s heart be breaking? Yes. Would the Israelites be in misery? Yes. Would the Israelites learn from this? Yes. Did the lessons stay with them? Not so much. The lessons, however, remain with us.
The Great Commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; love your neighbor as yourself.
This is the boundary that we must not cross, for wouldn’t we want people to love us, too?
※Prayer※
Jesus, let your light of love shine in us so that we may shine your light into the darkness. Amen.