Just As We Are

II Chronicles 30:9, 18-20

The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.

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 who sets their heart on seeking God--the Lord, the God of their ancestors--even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

When Hezekiah became king in Judah, he immediately set out to clean out the Temple so they could worship God again, and he began the worship by celebrating the Passover, and he invited all the Israelites to come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord and worship Him (vs. 6-9). So there were people from all Israel joining with Judah and Benjamin to celebrate this feast.

But some who had come a long way, had not had opportunity to follow the "letter of the law" to be ceremonially clean, and they participated anyway. When King Hezekiah learned this, he prayed for them, and God heard his prayer and accepted them.

So even in the Old Testament times, God is wanting to accept us just as we are, if we turn to Him in repentance to seek His face.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!