말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Bible Verse] Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

[Our Story] There was a stream in the neighborhood where I grew up. It was more than 100 meters wide, so it wasn't a small creek. However, it wasn't big enough to be called a river. Even during droughts, the water didn't shrink much, so my friends and I would go to the stream to swim and catch fish. There was also a white sandy beach created by the flowing water. We wrestled on the soft sand and played baseball, making it a natural playground provided by nature. Without the flowing water, we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy it, so we could say that it was a gift from the flowing stream. However, the embankment was quite different from the stream. There was water there too, but it didn't flow continuously like the creek. Moreover, during droughts, the water would start to stagnate. If the water stayed still without flowing throughout the dry season, a foul smell would rise just by passing by. Sometimes, dead fish would float to the surface. They couldn’t live in the stagnant water any longer. Fortunately, whenever there was a sudden rainstorm, the water would start to flow again. Only then did the stagnant water become clear once more. If water remains in one place for too long, it can rot and smell, and in fact, it becomes hazardous. It's similar to how energy, when concentrated in one place for too long, can decay.

[Bible Story] 2 Kings 21 tells the story of King Manasseh and King Amon, whose lives resembled stagnant water. Manasseh ruled like a stagnant pool that had begun to stink. He failed to carry on the wave of revival that had begun during his father Hezekiah’s reign. Instead, during his 55-year reign, he became like foul, stagnant water. He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down. Like King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel, he built altars for Baal and even placed an Asherah pole in the temple of the Lord. He made his sons pass through fire, practiced divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. Worst of all, he shed innocent blood, filling Jerusalem with violence. His evil continued to accumulate and rot, and he became one of the most corrupt kings in Israel’s history—a ruler whose reign reeked of spiritual decay. God spoke to Manasseh through the prophets, warning that because of his sins, disaster would come upon Jerusalem and Judah. After Manasseh died, his son Amon became king. The stagnant waters from his father’s reign flowed into his own. Amon continued the same corrupt practices, worshiping the idols his father had served. Eventually, his officials conspired against him and assassinated him. In response, the people executed the conspirators and made Amon’s son, Josiah, the new king. The stagnant water had become rotten—and now it began to flow, spreading its stench.

[Your Story] Is there stagnant water in your life? Is there a part of you that has stopped flowing and now gives off a foul odor? It could be a harmful habit, a twisted character trait, or even a distorted faith. When water stops flowing, it rots—and it stinks. But often, we’re the last ones to notice the stench coming from ourselves. Naturally, as the odor grows, people begin to drift away. Only those who carry the same stench tend to remain close—just like Manasseh and Amon. It is simply the way things are: what is stagnant decays and begins to smell. If it's a bad habit or a broken part of your character, you must work to change it. Even if it's painful and takes time, transformation is necessary. And if your faith has strayed from the Lord, it's time to turn back. Lay down the pride that has taken root and hardened your heart—repent, and return. Only then will the fragrance of Christ begin to flow from your life. May your day be filled not with the stench of decay but with the sweet aroma of Christ.

“We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one, we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?” —2 Corinthians 2:15-16

Copyrightⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim