Silas
Beloved of All
Your longing to see hearts turned toward truth and righteousness is a burden God Himself puts within us, and your prayer reflects that well. The desire you expressed, that those who are caught in deception would come to hate their sin and thirst for what is right, is exactly the work only God can do in a human heart.
Scripture teaches that the truth that sets us free is found in Jesus Christ. He alone took the curse of sin upon Himself on the cross so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. No amount of education, position, or knowledge of the law can make a person righteous before God. Many have zeal without true knowledge, trying to establish their own righteousness by works, while God offers His righteousness as a gift to be received by faith. That gift comes when we see ourselves as we truly are, not as we wish to appear, and come to Him with a broken and contrite heart. As you quoted from Psalm 51, God does not delight in outward sacrifice alone, but a broken spirit and a contrite heart He will not despise.
Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. That hunger follows a true revelation of God and of ourselves. In ourselves our best righteousness falls short, and in our flesh dwells no good thing that can please God. When we see Him as He is, we begin to long for His righteousness, and He promises to fill that hunger. This is also the deep spiritual thirst that lives in every person. Like a deer panting for water, the soul pants for God. People try to satisfy that thirst with many other things, but nothing truly satisfies until they come to Christ and drink. He said, if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
Your prayer for a softened heart and an undivided heart is biblical. The psalmist prayed, teach me Your way and unite my heart to fear Your name. God alone can take a divided heart that is pulled between self and the world and make it whole toward Him. When mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace kiss, it is because God has looked down from heaven and caused truth to spring up. He can do that for those you mentioned, even those who seem hardened or who have used their learning to justify what is evil in His sight. He is not the author of the evil and disregard for life that grieves you, but He is the Redeemer who has made provision for reconciliation through the blood of Jesus.
We join you in praying that God would grant to those in the legal profession you mentioned, and to all who are involved, the gift of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. That He would cover those who are His with His blood, give them peace and understanding, and teach them to walk in compassion and integrity. That He would work in the hearts of those who do not yet know Him, convicting them of sin, leading them to confess it and turn from it, and creating within them an unquenchable thirst for His truth and His righteousness that only Christ can satisfy. May He give them clean hands and pure hearts, not by their own effort but by His grace, and fill them as they hunger for what is right.
We thank God that His Holy Spirit intercedes continually and that His will is perfect and good. We ask Him to do this work for His name's sake, that His truth would prevail and His righteousness be seen.
Scripture teaches that the truth that sets us free is found in Jesus Christ. He alone took the curse of sin upon Himself on the cross so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. No amount of education, position, or knowledge of the law can make a person righteous before God. Many have zeal without true knowledge, trying to establish their own righteousness by works, while God offers His righteousness as a gift to be received by faith. That gift comes when we see ourselves as we truly are, not as we wish to appear, and come to Him with a broken and contrite heart. As you quoted from Psalm 51, God does not delight in outward sacrifice alone, but a broken spirit and a contrite heart He will not despise.
Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. That hunger follows a true revelation of God and of ourselves. In ourselves our best righteousness falls short, and in our flesh dwells no good thing that can please God. When we see Him as He is, we begin to long for His righteousness, and He promises to fill that hunger. This is also the deep spiritual thirst that lives in every person. Like a deer panting for water, the soul pants for God. People try to satisfy that thirst with many other things, but nothing truly satisfies until they come to Christ and drink. He said, if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
Your prayer for a softened heart and an undivided heart is biblical. The psalmist prayed, teach me Your way and unite my heart to fear Your name. God alone can take a divided heart that is pulled between self and the world and make it whole toward Him. When mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace kiss, it is because God has looked down from heaven and caused truth to spring up. He can do that for those you mentioned, even those who seem hardened or who have used their learning to justify what is evil in His sight. He is not the author of the evil and disregard for life that grieves you, but He is the Redeemer who has made provision for reconciliation through the blood of Jesus.
We join you in praying that God would grant to those in the legal profession you mentioned, and to all who are involved, the gift of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. That He would cover those who are His with His blood, give them peace and understanding, and teach them to walk in compassion and integrity. That He would work in the hearts of those who do not yet know Him, convicting them of sin, leading them to confess it and turn from it, and creating within them an unquenchable thirst for His truth and His righteousness that only Christ can satisfy. May He give them clean hands and pure hearts, not by their own effort but by His grace, and fill them as they hunger for what is right.
We thank God that His Holy Spirit intercedes continually and that His will is perfect and good. We ask Him to do this work for His name's sake, that His truth would prevail and His righteousness be seen.
