2 Chronicles 29 – sacrifices, offering, service, consecration.
2 Chronicles 30:9, 18-20
9 If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
King Hezekiah encouraged the people to return to the Lord that they may receive His grace. And though, the people may have come to eat a holy ceremony (the Passover) with uncleanness in them, he prayed for them to get pardoned, especially those whose heart is set on seeking God. Because of that, the Lord heard him and healed the people.
The Lord is after a heart that is set to seeking Him even if us, as people see that they are “unworthy” according to the rules. We must pray for those who are willing to set their hearts on seeking God and allow the Lord to hear us and heal them.
We also must encourage them to return to the Lord that they may be shown grace and compassion as He did to the people of Israel. Nothing is too big of a sin that the Lord will not forgive. He is a forgiving God and a God of many chances. We as the leaders, need to pray for them, encourage them, and keep them in check and allow the Lord to work and listen to our prayers.
// I need to encourage, pray for, and just trust the Lord for the outcome of those who are struggling to return to the Lord and/or looking/feeling unworthy to come to Him due to the “rules” that were set that they didn’t meet. If their hearts are set to seeking the Lord, it is God’s job to forgive them and heal them – but I must be faithful in praying for them, encouraging them and trusting the Lord for the outcome.
// Lord, thank you for the assurance of your forgiveness. Nothing is too big of a sin that you won’t not forgive, erase or heal. I pray that you please help me to constantly encourage and pray for those who are feeling “unworthy” and that they too may have a heart that’s set on you. I just commit this to you and the things you want me to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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