Liturgy for Life : WK 4 - MON
Prayer
Luke 18:9-14
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people-cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Prayer. How does prayer work? Why are we supposed to pray? Is God even listening? These are just a few of the questions I have been asked as a pastor. It seems that no matter how old someone is or how long they've been a Christian, these questions and similar ones keep coming up. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are three spiritual practices that Jesus discussed regularly in His ministry. In fact, Luke 18:1 tells us why Jesus shared this story. Luke writes, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”
The passage we are reading today is one of those stories. Jesus tells this story to encourage us to never give up on praying. He wants us to understand how important prayer is for our relationship and connection with Him. He encourages us to persist; never quit praying. In this story about the Pharisee and the despised tax collector, we see that what matters most to God in prayer is being genuine—being real with God and with ourselves. I love this about God. He doesn’t want us to put on a show for Him or act in a way that isn’t our true self. He desires a genuine, authentic, and transparent relationship with us, which also means having an authentic conversation with Him.
What this means is that we can talk to Him anytime and all the time. We can communicate with God when we are mad, sad, glad, fearful, hurt, angry, rejoicing, confessing, frustrated, or in whatever state we may be. He can handle it all. And… He loves to hear your voice. You are His beloved child, a cherished creation made in His image. You never have to have it all together before speaking with God. Remember, He loves you, and you can never say a bad or wrong prayer because He will always be willing to listen.
Luke 18:9-14
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people-cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Prayer. How does prayer work? Why are we supposed to pray? Is God even listening? These are just a few of the questions I have been asked as a pastor. It seems that no matter how old someone is or how long they've been a Christian, these questions and similar ones keep coming up. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are three spiritual practices that Jesus discussed regularly in His ministry. In fact, Luke 18:1 tells us why Jesus shared this story. Luke writes, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”
The passage we are reading today is one of those stories. Jesus tells this story to encourage us to never give up on praying. He wants us to understand how important prayer is for our relationship and connection with Him. He encourages us to persist; never quit praying. In this story about the Pharisee and the despised tax collector, we see that what matters most to God in prayer is being genuine—being real with God and with ourselves. I love this about God. He doesn’t want us to put on a show for Him or act in a way that isn’t our true self. He desires a genuine, authentic, and transparent relationship with us, which also means having an authentic conversation with Him.
What this means is that we can talk to Him anytime and all the time. We can communicate with God when we are mad, sad, glad, fearful, hurt, angry, rejoicing, confessing, frustrated, or in whatever state we may be. He can handle it all. And… He loves to hear your voice. You are His beloved child, a cherished creation made in His image. You never have to have it all together before speaking with God. Remember, He loves you, and you can never say a bad or wrong prayer because He will always be willing to listen.
- What has your experience with God through prayer been like so far in your relationship with Him?
- Do you believe you can discuss anything with God, regardless of the topic? Why or why not?
- Since prayer is a conversation with God, what do you think about sometimes being silent and quieting yourself enough to listen to Him?
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