Lineage of Prayers

This morning as I read Proverb 28, I came across verse 9, which loosely paraphrased says that the prayers of those who turn their ears from the law are an abomination to God. Now I know I've read other passages of Scripture that say that God either does not hear, or counts as abomination, the prayers of the wicked. If this is true, then how does God hear any of our prayers?

Well, God hears the prayers of the righteous. Not one of us is righteous from birth or on our own, so we cannot offer up prayers that are pleasing to God without that being remedied. Jesus came to live a life on this earth that was completely righteous, but He is the only one who ever accomplished this. However, we are now counted righteous by our faith in His righteousness, which God "imputes" on us, or makes a part of our character. We cannot pray for this on our own, as those prayers are without affect, but we need the prayers of those who have led us to Christ. As Christians, we need to pray for those who have not yet turned to Christ, as they cannot yet pray for themselves what they should. God will hear our prayers, as His righteous children, and will make them righteous as well. Their salvation does not rest on our shoulders, but we live in community as God has called us, and therefore we cannot function outside of that community effectively.

Encouragement? First, be thankful for those who invested their prayers in your life. I know I will never forget ONE80 and the youth minister and youth who prayed for me, and whom God answered in bringing me into His kingdom. Second, think of who you can pray for to be made righteous today. Who knows but that your prayers could help this person to come to know the salvation that comes only through our LORD?