At Home With God

Fergus Buchanan October 29, 2025 4 3

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Luke 18: 9-14 (NIVUK)

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”

13 ‘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 on me, a sinner.”

14 ‘I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

A young minister visited John Stott during his final illness. He had always regarded Stott as a major influence in his Christian growth through his many books and in particular his preaching. They spent some time together but before the young man left Stott asked him to pray with him and in particular that he might be given the humility to bear this time of challenging time.

That seemed to sum up the life and witness of John Stott. With all his achievements and the accolades he had received in his life the vital things for him as he approached the end of his life was God and His grace.  

In Jesus’ story of the two men who went up to the Temple to pray we see one who brings himself to the fore. It’s questionable that he is even praying. He is reviewing his life and feeling rather good about it. As he massages his own ego it is clear to him that he is a ‘righteous’ man.  

The other man cannot bear to think of himself in the presence of God. If his life is an open book to God then he has nothing to boast about. He manages to squeeze out a prayer which acknowledges his sin and asks for God’s mercy.  

In the end, Jesus says, the Tax Collector ‘went home justified before God.’ In a sense he not only went home but more importantly he was at home with God. In his humility he recognised that he had nothing to plead before God apart from His grace. Jesus had not yet paid the price for our sin but His story points forward to the day when His followers would sing: ‘Nothing in my hands I bring/Simply to Thy cross I cling.’  

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Give us the humility to bear whatever challenges come our way. Not feeling we deserve better but knowing that in Jesus we have received everything that really matters in life: forgiveness, renewal and the hope of resurrection. May this be our strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Amen.