Today’s Devotion
Topic: O God, Be Merciful To Me!
Text: Luke 18: 14
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Amen
One day, when Jesus decided to address those who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, He told them this parable:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people –robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10- 14).
Beloved, ponder over this question awhile: why did the Pharisee go up to the temple to pray when it is obvious that he doesn’t even need God? His prayer sounded more like One who was perfect and had come to give an update of that to God. Secondly, why would he compare himself with another person and justify himself as better?
The tax collector, however, came with a broken and contrite spirit; despising anything good or bad he’s done, just to obtain mercy from God. Mercy to bring him back to the fold of God, mercy to atone for his sins, mercy to restore him in Christ and mercy to rejuvenate him for higher and greater works this time.
He (the tax collector) had no time nor interest to compare with another who had come to seek God’s face. His own imperfect reality was overwhelming enough. He would rather humble himself to be justified by the mercies of God than to justify himself before the God whose righteousness ‘we borrow from.’
Jesus identified this tax collector as leaving the temple more justified than the Pharisee because he humbled himself before God.
Meditate on this word and begin to pray with all humility. Do not justify yourself as if you were all perfect and didn’t even need God.
Ask for mercy for all your sins and the grace to rise up and be all that He wants you to be. Also, pray that the mercies of God will lead you and your family each day; providing your needs and helping you to be strong, where you have been weak.
Under His merciful watch, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17)
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