Help for Today: How Do We Get There From Here: We certainly do not “deserve” it!

Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tax collector. Publican. Sinner. You pick the term, but they are all descriptive of a man standing in the shadows as a Pharisee gave a quite glowing report of himself to God. You can read the list yourself of all the good that was being done by this Pharisee. If you had a question about the good he was doing, you could just ask him. He seemed very ready to talk about it. In fact, one of his statements was a word of thanks that he was not like this tax collector…publican…sinner. The Pharisee seemed to think a great deal about himself. The tax collector was a different story. He would not lift up his face. He beat his chest. He prayed to God. Be merciful to me, a sinner. By the way, I especially appreciate the New American Standard translation of this text. Be merciful to me, “THE” sinner. This man got it. He understood. He knew the story of his life. He knew what he had done. He pointed fingers at no other man. His view was internal. God…I need mercy. Hold high today a man whose heart was humbled in the presence of the Lord. Ours should be, too. Today.

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”.

Clark Sims