Did you
hear the one about when the tax collector and the Pharisee prayed at the temple? It may sound like a joke, but there is
nothing funny about it. In this story both
did some heartfelt praying, but one went home justified and the other when home
further away from God than he was when he came.
The story is recorded in Luke 18:9-14.
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.”
We humans
are not wise enough to notice these important things so that is why it is so
good that Jesus could point it out to us.
In keeping with His other parables, this story has an important point to
make not only about prayer but also about self-righteous thinking.
Prayer is
about communicating with God. So when
your prayer is all about telling God what a Christian rockstar you are, you’ve
got a problem. You need to get a little
of yourself out of the way if you are talking to your Great, Wonderful,
Beautiful God. His Holiness and Almighty
Awesomeness needs to come into play at some point in prayer. Otherwise, what is the point of your prayer?
Recognizing who you are praying to
will cause you to grasp how majestic He is.
Acknowledging God will change your prayer focus. If you consider Who He is, you will not be
bringing your petty little fasting history up to him. Rather, you will be utterly amazed that the
one who made the heavens is willing to even hear your prayers—Psalm 8. Don’t get me wrong. Jesus is all for fasting and giving and
living a holy life. He is not about
thinking these practices make you better than the next guy. Rather than exalting yourself because you
follow God, you need to humble yourself because even becoming as holy as
humanly possible is not holy enough before God.
We should always be amazed at the mercy and love of God for fallen human
beings.
The Tax
Collector was very aware of his need for the mercy of God. When he entered the temple to pray, he felt
the awesome holiness of God and became ever aware of his unholiness. He cried for mercy. Jesus announced through this story that his
was an effective prayer. His prayer transformed
his life. He left the temple justified,
while the Pharisee left just as trapped in sin as when he came.
Humility is
the key to life changing prayer.
Copyright © 2014.
Deborah R. Newman teatimeforyoursoul.com
All Rights Reserved.
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