PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 18:9-14
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:13)
Take a moment to think about your particular weaknesses.
What sin issues do you struggle with?
Do you tend to think of your issues as not as bad as others?
Or do you see yourself as no worse than others?
As long as we only compare ourselves to others, we will not understand sin.
We need to see our moral weaknesses and sins in light of God’s will for us.
We need to see ourselves in contrast to who we should be.
To humble myself is not to demean myself, to make me worse than I am.
Rather to humble myself is to see myself as I really am.
If we did this, we would have no time to be critical of others.
No matter what your sins are, my sins are my issue, and they’re bad enough.
We all need to reach this point where we are honest before God.
Only then will we discover the wonder of God’s gracious welcome.
Only then will we experience God exalting us, despite missing the mark.
PRAYER
Lord, you me more than anyone. My subtle pride, weak love, selfish bias, lukewarmness to you, distracted heart. And this is what I see, you see more. Thank you for seeing the me behind the mess.
Thank you for the reminder that if I feel “humble enough” I’m probably not humble enough. Help me Lord live to exalt you and not chase after my own wants. Help reveal the paths that you have prepared for me!
‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I pray that the HS will continue to ‘clip/cut’ any thoughts that I might have that I’m better Christian or better than someone else. I am a sinner standing in the need of grace – just like this Publican. How quickly we judge others and compare ourselves to others – rather we need to see ourselves as a community of all kinds of imperfect people – needing God’s grace. And even if the standard of living the Jesus way is high – we have to admit we’re not going to meet that perfection on our own – but only through Jesus – so no matter how far we have to come in our faith walk – we need Jesus! I need Jesus!
Do I compare myself to others before the Lord? When we love the Lord and serve Him we will also love our neighbour. I need to walk humbly before Him each day serving Him with my words and deeds living at peace with all mankind as far as it depends upon me. I need Your grace and Your guiding hand each day anew as I serve You seeing others as Your people remembering when I point to others there are more fingers pointing at me.
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!