Friday, April 1: 2Chronicles 30

This is one of the few OT accounts where we see the people of God reaching out to draw others into the faith. Admittedly, it is only a half-step as Hezekiah reaches out to disenfranchised Israelites of the northern kingdom who haven’t worshiped the Lord in generations. They may have Jewish blood in their veins but that’s as far as it goes. They haven’t worshiped the Lord since the Jeroboam split about 200 years ago.

Hezekiah took quite a risk, verse 1, Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.

And disenfranchised brothers responded to the invitation, which created a bit of a problem since the invitee didn’t know God’s Law and therefore didn’t know, or know how, to purify themselves for the Passover.… 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 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." And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people (18-20). Even here God provides a way through the problem as He ‘woos’ the disenfranchised back to Him.

I saw a number of parallels to my own faith journey at the present time.

This week I am attending a conference at my church to learn how to better reach out to people disenfranchised from God.  There are inherent risks in reaching out…. personal rejection, anger, misunderstanding, botching up the invitation, not knowing what to say, and the list goes on. However, the only way to get more people to the banquet is to invite them.  Their response is their responsibility.

Second, when people who don’t know God respond, they will arrive with all kinds of baggage. I cannot expect that they know God or know how to live lives that honor Him. I have to remember that God has that under control and I have to expect that there will be some messy lives and situations that will need care. God has a plan to draw them all the way home. I have to follow His lead.

Lord, thanks for this wonderful word of encouragement as I learn to be better at inviting people toYour banquet.  I pray that I experience the joy Hezekiah experienced as many accept invitations to come to You. For Jesus’ Kingdom’s sake, I pray. Amen.

 

No comments:

Post a Comment