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. - 2 Chronicles 30:18-20 NIV
We often think that we have to live by all of the rules in order to incur God's favor. This was not true for the Israelites during Hezekiah's time, when the people had become so estranged from their God that they no longer even knew what the rules were. When Hezekiah came to power, he realized how far the people had departed from the right relationship with God. Even when he, the king, sent messengers around to call the people back to the Lord, his entreaties were met with refusal. Only a few chose to answer the call, and they were so far removed from the law, that they didn't even know that they needed to purify themselves in order to approach the sanctuary of God. But, as always, it is our hearts, not our actions that God is interested in. Hezekiah realized that it was a sinful people trying the best they knew to approach God and he asked God to forgive them, which he did...which he has always done. Even today, even if our prayers and devotion are not what they should be, we can approach God. God does pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God.
