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.” . . . 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!” (Luke 18:11-13)

“Guilty, as charged.” Those are words we never want to hear, especially when it comes to our role in the horrific death of our Savior. We don’t like to think we’re guilty of sending him to the cross. It’s easier to point the finger at other key players: Judas, Pilate, and the Sanhedrin.

But it was for me my Savior died. My sins nailed him to the cross. Such awareness of the true causes and culprits of Jesus’ suffering should make us cry out, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Still, such words are hard to say, and harder to believe. Am I really such a sinner that Jesus had to die for me? Unless the answer is, yes, we are saying the cross of Jesus was unnecessary for persons like us, and we line up with the Pharisee who prayed about himself, thanking God that he was not like others.

Why confess more than that? Because when we confess our need, we get Jesus – the King of the Universe and Savior of Sinners — to die for our sin, to advocate in heaven for our needs, and to work all things together in heaven and on earth for our good.

Confession, we are told, is good for the soul; it’s actually much better than that. It’s good for making all on earth and in eternity God’s blessing to us.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I am guilty of rebelling against you, but I don’t tend to think that way. I confess my lack of confession. Help me again to sense deeply that it was for me my Savior died, so I long to live for him.