Ever felt like you just can’t get it right?
This story is for you!
“Once upon a time, there was a tax collector. stood far away. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he beat his chest and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:13) 🛐
He knew he couldn’t change. Not really. 😔 He looked at his life, at his job as a tax collector – a life steeped in compromise and wrongdoing, just to survive, to feed his family. How could he repent when his very existence seemed to demand continued sin? 🤔
He couldn’t even bring himself to look up to heaven. The shame was too great. 😩 How many times had he promised God, only to fail again? 🔄 He stood there, a “Christian” in the modern sense, coming to church but stopped at a distance, couldn’t enter. 🚶♂️ This is how most of us don’t go to church anymore or tire to go: that feeling, “I am a sinner, I’m a fornicator like the righteous man said Luke 18 vs 11, maybe no money to pay for bride price, or issue ” loving God and Christ, yet utterly disappointed in ourselves. 💔
This tax collector (sinner) couldn’t offer grand vows of repentance. He couldn’t lie; he knew this situation around him couldn’t let him change. ⛓️ Like many situations that can’t allow many (us) Christians to be perfect above sin. How can we feed our family? How can I not fornicate—will my partner not abandon me. I know I can’t stop this work; how will I be able to feed my family, and I will suffer? My child is sick, I’m sick, but I still know I can’t change. My life and job are compromise and wrongdoing. I know. 😔💸
With no hope of repentance, he knew in his heart that despite his desire, he was bound by his circumstances. 🔁 He would return to work, and he would sin again. If he return to his partner he will sin, no money. This deep, honest, almost resigned acceptance of his inability to be different was the very reason he couldn’t bring himself to step further into the holy space (church). 🚫 He stood far off, thinking, “Why should I bother to enter the house of God when I know, after here, I will still sin?” 🤔 He couldn’t look up because this wasn’t the first time he’d vowed to change, and failed. 🔙 He looked at his family, at his life, and saw no escape. 😞 He couldn’t repent in the way the “righteous” did. “How can I feed them? What can I do?” he must have thought. 😟
But even so, he loved God. ❤️ He had to come. His was the prayer of a man completely stripped bare, acknowledging, “This is who I am, Lord. Have mercy.” 🤲 He didn’t promise to change because he knew he couldn’t, not in the way he was expected to. Everything about his life, his job, screamed that he couldn’t. 🚧 So, “I’m a sinner. This is who I am, Lord. Have mercy.” 💧 It was a plea for divine intervention, not based on his merit, but solely on God’s boundless compassion for a soul in absolute despair. ✨💖 He cried “have mercy” with a sincere heart, “help me,” like others who cried to Jesus: “Have mercy, restore my sight,” 👁️🗨️ “have mercy, heal me,” ( Matthew 17:14-18 )and “mercy, save me.” ( Matthew 14:30) “Have mercy, save my soul,( Luke 18:13-14)” “have mercy, deliver my daughter.( Matthew 15:21-28)” 🙏
“I tell you, this man, not the other, went home right with God. ✅🌟 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14) ⬆️⬇️
The tax collector, by being totally honest about his, failures and trusting God’s kindness, was made right! God saw him as good, not because of what he *did*, but because he humbled himself.
God help Paul struggled with sin (Romans 7:15, 18-19, 24-25 (NIV):)! But God help him, and he promise his word to always gives us a way out when we’re tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we ask
He blessed sinful Peter (Luke 5:5-11) bless his business and said follow me. Peter confess he was a sinner and we believe Jesus already know.
May God help us in our sinful ways and bring us out in better ways.
May God provide all for us all our need according to his riches in glory
May God show us mercy and heal us for all our disease and sickness
May God show us mercy and bless us , that we will look at sin and refuse to sin but follow Christ like Peter did.
By mercy May we will be save from problem and trouble of this. In Jesus name amen. 🙏