The One Who Wants To Be Healed

I opened my eyes and looked at their faces it was obvious that they were stunned at the words that had just come out of my mouth but then so was I. I had been in the middle of a prayer when my heart was exposed. The prayer had gone something like this, “Lord help me with my sin, but I thank You that at least my sin isn't____.”

Even if I'd never said it out loud the fact that I thought my sin was less offensive to God than someone else' sin put me in good standing with the Pharisees of Jesus' time. The Pharisees saw themselves as being righteous before God because they kept the law. They missed the point. The law wasn't given to expose their holiness but the holiness of God. It wasn't given to show them how well they were but in stead to show them their need for a physician so that when the physician came they could be healed.

Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12,13) The problem with not fulling recognizing my lack of righteousness and how sick my sin really is is that I also miss how great the love of God is. Creating my own righteousness is like using artificial lights so that I can't see the true light of the stars.

Here is another odd thing about my sin comparison, the thing I found most irritating about “them” was that “they” didn't see that what “they” did was a sin. When God graciously shed a light on my sinful attitude I began to daily ask God for the gift of humility. I also began to ask that He would show me how offensive my sin was. What I found was that by humbly acknowledging my sin before a holy God I also encountered both the grace and the lavish love of God that I neither earned or deserved.

Lord Jesus, I get so confused sometimes tangled up in my sin and pride. Please help me today to come into Your holy presents aware that my only access is because of Your love and sacrifice for my sin. Help me to humbly extend my hand to other sinners who are in need of You, the Great Physician.