Prayer Approach

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank You that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’"—Luke 18:9-14

How do we approach God? Do we approach as self-assured or as self-aware? We cannot approach God in our own humanity because we are broken, vile, sinful creatures. We cannot have access to God save by His mercy. The most dangerous thing one of the created can do is step into the presence of the Creator in his or her own strength or self-righteousness. It’s dangerous because we are not clean, as the prophet Isaiah so clearly wrote:  

“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away”—Isaiah 64:6. 

Even our perceived self-righteousness cannot get us access to God, because it’s really not righteousness in God’s sight. He dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) and in His light we see light (Psalm 36:9). No matter what we do, as long as we are in ourselves, we cannot approach God. He is holy (Leviticus 11:44). We are not. He is pure; we are not (Job 25:4-5). He is righteous (Psalm 116:5); we are not (Romans 3:10). How can we approach God then? We must understand our state and approach Him in humble brokenness of person.

That’s what we have in our passage for today, a Pharisee who thought that he was righteous before God because of who he was and what he did, and a tax collector, who was hated by Jews and Gentiles alike. He was hated because he was Jewish and worked for the Romans. The Romans hated him because he was Jewish, and the Jews hated him because he worked for the hated Romans. But he recognized his sinful state before God. And He pleaded for mercy. That’s what God wants from us. He doesn’t want our righteousness; we don’t have any. He wants our brokenness. He wants us to realize our real condition, our need, our deplorable state before Him. When we come humbly and clothed in Christ, God hears our prayer. May we claim the promise in James, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”—James 4:6. Therefore, we should heed James’ instruction: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you”—James 4:10. May we humble ourselves, living in the knowledge that God will hear our prayer, not because of who we are, but because of who He is and what He has done. Amen.