Pray… Vindicate me O Lord, as I strive to walk in the integrity of a heart made righteous by You. May I always walk by faith, and not by sight, so that my feet don’t slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me. Test my mind and my heart and lead me in Your everlasting way. Be the always-present light unto my path and lamp unto my feet. Let my eyes behold Your mercies, and my ears hear Your truth, that I might understand Your love and walk in Your commands. Let me not sit with those who love idols, nor go forth with hypocrites. Help me reject the assembly of evildoers and shun seats with the wicked. Let me bathe in the innocence of grace, that I might draw near with confidence to Your throne.
Lord Jesus, let me proclaim Your praises with a voice of thanksgiving and Your wondrous works with a shout! I do so love the presence of Your Spirit and cherish the place, here in the temple of my heart, where Your glory dwells. Therefore, let me not bind my soul with sinners, nor embrace deceitful men whose minds conceive sinister schemes, and whose hands are full of bribes. Let me not be yoked unequally with unbelievers, but rather lead me to walk in peace and in the abundant life of Your abiding presence. Redeem me and be merciful to me, O Lord. Bring my feet back to stand on level ground where I can bless You in Your congregation.
Consider… He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity—He who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe…and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil, he will dwell on the heights. His asylum will be the impregnable rock. His bread will be given him. His water will be sure. In Jesus’ sacrifice, mercy, unfailing love, and through the power of His Spirit that uniquely indwells the hearts of His children, we stand on level ground. We can come with confidence to the throne of God and say, “Examine me O Lord. Try me.” This is a request that, apart from grace, would surely terrify us. What utter foolishness and arrogance such a request would be were we standing in the flesh. But we’re not. We can reject deceptions and the wicked schemes of darkness, walk righteously, speak with sincerity, strive for integrity, and be renewed in Christ’s very life because “the Lamb was slain!” In Jesus we can “lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race” to the finish line! God grant us the strength to live this life as though we truly appreciated the fact that we stand washed in the blood of innocence.
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