While I was reading through our daily through-the-Bible chapters recently, Susan and I came to the passage where Hezekiah led the people of Israel and Judah to the Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 30).

• He invited everyone, no matter where they lived, how they lived, or how far away they were from the Father.
• He changed the date, something that was completely out of the norm, because He knew the people of God needed to worship.
• He invited the personnel who normally led the worship to return first because so many of the priests had not followed through with their own responsibilities to worship and walk in purity.
• He invited the weak and those “not yet prepared” – no matter where they were with God, they were invited to come clean and celebrate.
• Even the internationals and outsiders were invited to worship. And they did.
• The people discarded and turned away from other gods, from false faith, and trusted in God’s mercy and His Word.

The account says that worship lasted twice as long as expected and the crowds were bigger, the given more generous, and the repentance as seen in turning away from what had the people in bondage was transformative.  Hezekiah saw the messy mix of people and prayed, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone ¹⁹ 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.” ²⁰ And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

As I was reading these verses, I envisioned how God invites us to worship Him and repentance often follows. We come to the Father with the faith in His mercy to make us right, and we lay our guilt, flaws, scars, sins in His hands of grace, and with humility bring our:

• Time
• Wallets
• Songs
• Gifts
• Brokenness
• Relationships

To the worship. Yes, you and I, wounds, scars, warts and all, are invited to worship.