READ: Psalm 25:1-22
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. – Ps. 25: 6, 7
What is our attitude in our prayer? Are we humble in the knowledge that we pray to God as sinners? Do we pray with full reverence as creatures of our God and Creator? Do we recognize our dependence on Him and pray with trust as children of our Father? Are our prayers full of gratitude? All of our prayers must begin with God’s mercy, otherwise it is impossible for us as sinners to speak to God.
Our prayer can only come to God if it is carried by the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is why humility and a sense of sin are appropriate for us above all else. Even if we want to express our praise and gratitude, we can only do so with an attitude of sincere humility, in which we confess our sins and do not overlook them. We are conceived and born in sin (Ps. 51). That is still a reality for a Christian.
Yes we may, thank God, know our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet all our thinking, speaking and doing are still stained with sin. Every day we have to repent. Every day is a day of grace for us. Let us then make that humility central to our words to the Lord God, our Father, and show it in the attitude we take in our prayers.
In God’s goodness, there is—in addition to humility—also reason for great gratitude in his Son because of the forgiveness of our sins. Yes, let us mention that in our prayer and live our lives based on that truth.
Is humility with Christ still necessary?
Singing Ps. 143:1