See God = see my sin

 

Some days looking in the mirror reveals more than I want to see. Age spots, wrinkles, sagging eyes, the things that many seniors don’t want to see. No wonder those with dementia may not recognize themselves; we don’t look like we used to.

A similar sensation happens when taking a closer look at the Lord; my sin stands out, sin that I didn’t realize I had, or that I didn’t want to see. Today’s devotional speaks of prayer being a time to draw near to God with great fervency, seeing my sin yet realizing this is incentive to pray and the humbling reason that I must pray — like Daniel did:

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:3)

At times I’ve said, ‘About all we can do now is pray’ as if prayer were a spare tire used only in emergencies. Other times I’ve heard a tale of woe, expressed sympathy and walked away without praying. I’ve also told people I would pray and forgot all about it.

Daniel saw prayer as an opportunity to express his praise to God and his sinfulness and the sinfulness of the nation. He demonstrated his deep concerns by fasting and wearing sackcloth and ashes, which for him were symbols of his humility and deep contrition.

Some might wonder how this godly man could be so concerned about sin. He was not noted for it, nor was Paul in the NT who said, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

Walking in the light does that. The closer we get, the brighter that Light becomes and the more clearly we can see our sin. When I was a new Christian, it didn’t occur to me that gossip, or jealousy, or having a critical spirit, or many other things in my life were sins. To me, sin was the blatant stuff of those ten commandments, not the now and then expressions of my selfishness.

Daniel turned his face to the “Lord God” realizing He is sovereign over all things. This understanding has taken me years, yet it now affects how I view adversity and trials. God uses odd things, even the most difficult, to show me my sin and to reveal His power. The effect of that is being able to pray with a greater focus, not only on Him but on the need for mercy from Him for myself and for others.

I also need to caution myself that this understanding of prayer does not cause me to criticize those who pray flippantly, or who talk to God as if He is their genie in a bottle. Prayer is asking for grace, but it is also humbly seeking His will and direction. For me, prayer is a profound privilege and a holy endeavor I do not earn or deserve.

Jesus, Your Word says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16) You are my righteousness and that means I can pray, yet if there is unconfessed sin in my heart, You are not obligated to listen because confession of my sin is a priority over answering prayer about the sins of others. “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18) and “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (Proverbs 28:9) Keep me informed of my sin that I might pray with fervor and effectiveness, and a deep thankfulness that You hear and answer prayer. That means keeping me close to You.

CONSIDER: How do the words of Jesus in Luke 11:5–13 illustrate the benefits of humble, persistent prayer? Does anything need to change in the way I pray?

 

 

Intercession

At times, after observing ungodliness in the world and my own tendency to drift away from full obedience, I do not know how to pray. I am dismayed at the power of sin to keep even the people of God from listening to Him. We know He loves us. We know that He wants the best for us, yet too often we do our own thing, then lament because going our own way always gets us into trouble. If catastrophe has not yet come, it is only because the Lord is showing great patience. 

While I don’t sit waiting for the ax to fall and am thankful for the mercy and grace of God, at the same time, I have to agree with Ruth Graham. She said that if God does not do something soon about the sin in America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Perhaps the reason the Lord has not poured out judgment is that a remnant of His people are fervently praying that He will show mercy. The Bible records some of these amazing intercessory prayers. One example is Daniel’s cry to God confessing his own sin and that of His people.

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets…. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly….Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Daniel 9:3–19)

Daniel’s plea is based on the mercy and righteousness of God. No one deserves His blessing. No one can earn it. Everyone of us has turned aside and done our own thing, ignoring or resisting God and His grace. It is because of His grace and because of Jesus Christ that I can even pray, or even realize that prayer is necessary and even possible. For this reason, Jesus is our redemption and our hope. Today Daniel’s prayer will be included in my prayers for our world and for myself.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13–14)