And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the One they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him….

— Zechariah 12:10a

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

— 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people.

— Acts 2:17a

And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment

— John 16:8

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

— 1 Peter 2:24

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

— Romans 2:4

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

The “Spirit of grace and supplication,” mentioned in Zechariah 12:10, transforms people by bringing deep spiritual conviction, empowering fervent prayer, and fostering profound repentance. It awakens a heart of humility, allowing individuals to connect intimately with God and seek His mercy. God pours out on people a spirit of grace and supplication, but, Satan, the “god of this age,” has so blinded fallen people that, without God’s enabling, they cannot perceive the heinousness of their past and present sins against God. God pours out His Spirit upon the earth to reveal Christ to sinners. God’s Spirit convicts the world of being “wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”

All who repent and turn to God do so because they have responded to the “spirit of grace and supplication.” Human repentance comes as a gift of God’s kindness. God pours out His grace, but individuals are responsible for their response. True repentance requires looking to Christ on His cross with full awareness that our own sins placed Him there. When God pours His grace upon His people, awakening their hearts to their grievous part in nailing Jesus to the cross, people will realize that Jesus was pierced for their transgressions, crushed for their iniquities, and bore the punishment that would bring them peace.