Jesus’ parable on prayer attitudes

Jesus told this parable to show how some people trust their own goodness rather than God from Whom all goodness comes:

And Jesus said:

Two guys went up to the Temple to pray.
One collected and kept all the rules of the law.
The other collected taxes. So the Rule-Keeper
stood by himself and said:

“Thank God, I’m not like the other people in this place!
Thank God, I’m not a thief or a scoundrel, and I don’t
cheat on my wife. And, oh, thank goodness, I’m not
a tax collector like that guy over there! Twice a week,
I fast, and I tithe ten-percent of every last penny.

Meanwhile, in the back of the Temple,
the tax collector stood away from everyone else.
Beating his chest, he said:

“Oh, God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

And Jesus said:

I tell you, that child of God went home justified. For who
can be made right with God while lifting themselves
above God?

But God will exalt anyone who comes humbly in prayer.

Prayer: Dear LORD God, we praise and worship and exalt You, for You alone are holy and not we ourselves. Help us to check our attitudes before we come to You in prayer, bringing You our reverence, respect, and love before we ask anything in Jesus’ Name.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phased Luke 18:9-14 from today’s Bible readings

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Jesus’ parable on persistent prayer

Jesus told the parable of the widow and the unjust judge to show how we need to keep on and on, praying and believing in God.

Once upon a town there lived a judge who gave God no respect and did not care for people.

Once upon that same town lived a widow who kept on and on, coming to the judge to make things right between her and an enemy.

At first, the judge did nothing to help, but when
the woman kept on coming he thought about it again
and said, “Even though I don’t fear God or care
about people, maybe I’d better give this person
what’s right and just – just to get her to stop
pestering me!”

And Jesus went on to say:

Listen!
God will always give what’s right
to people who cry to Him day and night!
So, no, God won’t be too slow.

I tell you, God hurries to help you
who believe and yet….

When the Son of Man comes again,
will He find faith on the earth?

Thought: That last verse has seemed to me to be the most chilling in the Bible: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” And I wondered if that meant, no! But maybe Jesus was saying something else. Maybe He was turning the illustration around to show that we are the unjust judges!

We act unjustly toward God whenever we disbelieve the goodness of God.

We act like an unjust judge toward other people when we don't care enough to even bother to pray.

Prayer: Oh, LORD God, help our unbelief! Help your people to believe more and more in Your kindness, Your goodness, Your mercy, Your ongoing love. Help us to see how much You care and to show Your caring in our lives. Thank You for hearing our prayers and giving us what’s best. Thank You for Your verdict in Jesus' Name.

©2013, Mary Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Daily Bible Reading from Luke 18:1-8

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