Closer than You Think

Tom Barnard

 

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself…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 upon me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man,

rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts

himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

 

How close is God to sinners? Closer than one might think. Here is a story about two men—one a self-proclaimed sinner, vilified by his countrymen for working as a tax collector for Rome. The other was a self-proclaimed child of God, a man who kept the laws of God and was proud to do so. Both men came to the temple. The Pharisee “prayed about himself” and his prayers were rejected. The sinner, hoping against hope, prayed for mercy. The Pharisee had “standing” before God. The sinner had no standing at all. One was justified; the other condemned. The religious world would have concluded that it was the sinner who was condemned and the Pharisee justified. The religious world would have been wrong.

 

The Church has a word for sinners—condemned, lost, without hope, hell-bent, helpless. God has a word for sinners—closer to the Kingdom than the Church might think. Attitude makes the difference.

 

Do you sometimes feel rejected, unworthy, a failure, an outcast, not able to approach the Lord because of a fault? Great news! You may be closer to God than you think. You are only a prayer away. I love this quote by Winfred Rhoades:

 

“For let a man go away or come back, God never leaves.”

 

Father, sometimes I feel so unworthy. Sometimes I sense that my spiritual trajectory is downward, not upward. Hope is gone. I feel abandoned. All I see is darkness around me. No encouraging voice can be heard. When I feel this way, even going to church does not help. I look around at the saints, and I wish I could be counted among them. They seem so secure, and I feel so insecure. Father, remind me of this story of the two men. Remind me that even when you seem distant from me, you are still near. Teach me to beat my breast and plead for mercy. Then whisper to me so that only I can hear you say, “Son, your sins are forgiven. Welcome home.” Thank you. I believe I am. Amen.