Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 29 May 2007 14:33:18 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (May 30); BP: Lk. 18:9-14; RBTTY: Jn. 11:30-57; II Chron. 10-12
May 30 “The Cry for Mercy”
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes
unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a
sinner’.”
Luke 18:13
Before we can rise upward, we must fall downward.
Mercy.
In some ways it’s the twin of Grace, which is our getting what we don’t
deserve. But, Mercy is different—for it’s not getting what we deserve.
Somehow we think we deserve a lot, i.e., that God’s blessings are our
inalienable right because of our nationality. . . color. . .educational
attainments. . .financial assets. . .religious beliefs, etc.
But, in reality, dear Pilgrim, we don’t deserve anything.
Except death and hell.
The lowly tax collector in today’s Manna knew that. He knew the hatred
and scorn that his being a sell-out to the Romans engendered from his fellow
Jews. He knew the guilt that came from charging more taxes than what was
owed—just because he could under Roman practice.
Yes, like Zacchaeus, he knew all that.
But, perhaps that’s why he’d finally reached this place of spiritual
desperation. A guilty conscience doesn’t make for a good bedfellow. And,
bags full of gold are little comfort when your heart’s dearth of love, joy,
peace, etc.
His actions weren’t “staged” that day when he cried out “God, be
merciful to me a sinner.” They sprang from his having lived too long at
“Wits’ End Corner” (Ps. 107:27) and knowing he was far, far away from the
living God of Abraham.
Although his story is couched in Jesus’ parable, let us not think he
was a figment of Jesus’ imagination. No, no doubt, Jesus’ “earthly story
with a Heavenly meaning” really happened and our Lord was simply recounting
what He’d observed one day.
We should notice the primary ones He was talking to in this parable
were those who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised
others” (v.9). Should we be surprised that the one who’d later be abased
was the Pharisee, not the publican (v.14)?
No, we shouldn’t be surprised—for the Lord has a way of whittling us
down to size when we’re fuller of self than we are of Him. As someone once
said, “It’s hard to fill a vessel that’s already full.” And, the same is
true with us when we feel no need of humbling ourselves before the One with
Whom we have to do.
Mercy. God-given mercy. Undeserved mercy.
That’s what we need. And, we’ll know we’re in a position to receive it
when we, like the publican, “would not lift up so much as our eyes unto
Heaven, but smite our breast instead, crying, ‘God, be merciful to me a
sinner’.”
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