Most of those who came…had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who are not properly cleansed…” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. – 2 Chronicles 30: 18-20

A read through the Old Testament will show us that when it came to His law, God didn’t pull any punches.

On several occasions, folks were killed by the power of the Lord when they failed to follow protocol.

However, during King Hezekiah’s reign, something phenomenal happens.

God pardons several Israelites who have come to celebrate Passover at the Temple without first purifying themselves.

Cleanliness was a huge deal in those times, and to defile others or the Temple of the Lord with impurity was a ghastly deed indeed.

And in his first month as king, Hezekiah called for a grand purification of the people and of the Lord’s Temple because the previous kings had abandoned the way of the Lord.

He sent out messengers all over Judah and Israel to have the people return to the Lord. And while some of the people laughed, others took heed and found it in their hearts to return to God.

But even though most of the people who showed up were unclean, Hezekiah took compassion on them and prayed for them because their hearts were in the right place.

God answered Hezekiah’s prayers because He could see that while the people were physically unclean, they had clean, loving hearts.

The law was constructed out of love, so it would make sense that love would be the only exception to it (as evidenced by the life of Jesus).

Above everything else – our deeds, our church attendance, our service to the community – God wants us to have a heart that loves Him the right way.

He’s the only one who can truly see the condition of our hearts, so He knows when we’re being sincere and when we’re not.

So we should ask Him to purify our hearts daily in Christ so that we can worship in truth and be pleasing in His sight.

Be blessed,

Alexia

Prayer: God, right now I ask that you would purify my heart and soul with the eternal blood of your son Jesus. If there is anything there that is unpleasing to you, wash it away so that when I worship you, I will do it in spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.