This week's Biblical prayer comes from Luke 18:9-14. Jesus gives us a parable about two men praying in the temple. The Pharisee prayed a prideful prayer, going boldly before God and claiming his righteousness. He even thanked God that he was better than all the other sinners in the temple, especially a tax collector. The tax collector's prayer was, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me—a sinner!" The tax collector prayed in humility, head hanging in shame, while striking himself in the chest, far away from the limelight. I prayed the tax collector's prayer, literally. I went to the furthest corner in our church building, looked to the ground, even beat my chest while I prayed the words he prayed.
Let me tell you, it was a remarkable experience. I realized that in the eyes of God I am all the things I hate- liar, cheat, lazy, unreliable, with a heart and mind full of detestable and dark shame. Not only did I feel uncomfortable and unworthy to be a minister, I felt uncomfortable and unworthy to be standing in God's house. I was an unwelcome and repugnant guest. But because of Jesus Christ, I am not unwanted. Neither are you.
If we believe God is real, we need to get real before God.
