Unleashed: As You Go – Pray

“The half-tribe of Manasseh was very large and spread through the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. These were the leaders of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdid. These men had a great reputation as mighty warriors and leaders of their clans.”    (1 Chronicles 5:23-24 NLT)

The tribe of Manasseh along with the tribes of Rueben and Gad had bargained with Moses to let them live in the land east of the Jordon (Numbers 32). The wide-open spaces were perfect for grazing cattle and flocks. Even though the Promised Land that God was giving them was within reach, they looked around and decided to settle for second best. They saw land that was rich and well suited for them to make a good living.  Selfish interest prevented them from being in God’s will for them.

The people knew they were capable of winning the battles needed to take the land. They had the resources to win for “they were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows.” (1 Cor 5:18b). Confident and proud, they waged war against the various peoples in the region. However, they quickly found themselves losing the battle. The soldiers quickly understood that “there are no atheists in foxholes” and as the battle turned against them, “they cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him. So the Hagrites and all their allies were defeated.” (v20)

The half-tribe of Manasseh enjoyed the plunder taken in the battle. Camels, sheep and goats, donkeys and captives – everything they had envisioned that would make them wealthy. They adapted well to the culture they found in the conquered land. In fact, they adapted a little too much to the culture. “But these tribes were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed.” (v25)

Their unfaithfulness led to their destruction and “they were taken into exile.” We are often faced with conflicts between what God says and what others say and promote in the culture around us. Modern culture will encourage us to get on “the right side of history” as it pushes their agenda of sexuality, morality and lifestyle arguments.

The culture will always look good until it turns and you see if for what it really is—destructive, hateful, violent and disregard for others. The half-tribe of Manasseh momentarily enjoyed their adopted culture until the culture pulled them so far from God that they no longer had God’s heart nor His ways of righteousness, justice, mercy, grace, forgiveness and love.

The half-tribe of Manasseh, Rueben and Gad had witnessed the promised land but chose to live in the culture of the day. The cultural norm of the day is much like the flavor of the day at Culver’s, it changes with the latest tweet from someone.

“When Jesus directs us to pray, “Thy kingdom come,” he does not mean we should pray for it to come into existence. Rather we pray for it to take over at all points in the personal, social, and political order where it is now excluded: “on earth as it is in heaven.” With this prayer we are invoking it, as in faith we are acting it, into the real world of our daily existence.” (Dallas Willard)

Culture calls. How will we answer? We can choose as the half-tribe of Manasseh did and worship the gods of the defeated culture, or as Joshua who declared, “…. but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

God is great,

Pastor Lynn