Must I Clean Up First? Isaiah 38:17 and Your Past

Caleb: My coworker says he'd come to church once he cleans up his past. What do I tell him?

Hannah: I get that. Listen to what a speaker says in Isaiah 38, in a prayer about anguish and facing death.

Scripture: Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

Caleb: So he was in anguish and cried to God, and now says God delivered his soul?

Hannah: Right, he says God delivered his soul in love from the pit of corruption and cast his sins behind his back.

That's like getting in shape before joining the gym. That's backwards!

Exactly. Nobody paddles out already good at surfing. Jesus died and rose again, so the cleanup is his job.

Caleb: Okay, but what if people judge him? I worried about that before I walked in.

Hannah: I fall short too. Everyone in that room does. We're there because of his mercy.

And if he knows nobody, he'll know us. Hannah saved us seats once. We'll do the same.

And you watching this, wear whatever you want. Nobody's grading outfits.

Hannah: Hey, you watching, today is a good day to come to Jesus as you are. What part of your past are you tidying up before anyone sees it?