“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.” (Luke 18:13-14a)
This man came into the church remorseful and unmindful of whoever may be around watching. He stood with his eyes cast down and all he could say is, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. He was aware of his helplessness and he decided to be naked before God. He saw himself on the lowest possible level, a sinner that no other man was like! He believed that without God he could do absolutely nothing to help his position.
He did not come by way of any merit whatsoever. He was penitent but did not come to God from that perspective, he saw nothing good about himself, nothing to lean on, but God. How did he come to this place? Exactly the opposite of the Pharisee who Jesus spoke of earlier. He did not look down on someone else below him, he looked up to God. He judged upward, to God. He saw no one but God, he heard nothing but the high standard of God. Lord, I’m the sinner. I’ll never be any better in myself, I’m simply a sinner, I need your mercy!
Authentic prayer acknowledges only God’s adequacy. That is the point held on to by this tax collector. Our help must be in God. This man looked for help nowhere else. He said, God be merciful to me. In that word ‘have mercy’ is hidden the wonderful story of Jesus, the cross and resurrection. He used a theological word which means be propitiated to me, that is, having had your justice satisfied, Lord, now show me your love. And he believed that God’s mercy was available, for, Jesus said, he went home justified. He was changed, he was different, he was made whole. He laid hold of what God said, and believed him.
This is where Jesus leaves us. Perhaps for the first time we can say, Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. Even after years of Christian life, of being a pastor or a deacon or the most dutiful worker in the church, we can start again, and say, Lord, let me reckon upon Your faithfulness to me, let me count upon Your willingness to be in me and work through me to make my life all that it ought to be.
Be merciful to me O Lord for I am the sinner.