Wednesday’s Word
by Dorette Saunders
Imagine praying aloud in church. (Does that scare you?) Then imagine hearing someone utter these words:
“God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like [fill in your name] over there. I fast twice a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
Jesus, during his ministry, taught many lessons on prayer. This time (read Luke 18:9-14), he was giving a Master Class, not so much on prayer, but on the motives people adopt as they approach God or interact with each other. Jesus was pointing out, among other things, how utterly irrelevant our prayers are when we do not adopt a spirit of humility.
Humility is a cornerstone of our walk with God. Recall how God promised a turnaround to his people if they humbled themselves:
”If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them…” (2 Chronicles 7:14, CEV).
Further, God’s Word tells us “everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say,
‘God opposes proud people,
but he helps everyone
who is humble.’”
(1 Peter 5:5, CEV)
Humility allows us to present ourselves before God as we truly are, not as we would like others to see us. When we puff up ourselves, instead of our eyes watching God, our eyes are watching others to see if they see our good works. It’s like praying with one eye open!
The Pharisee, the temple clergyman, in Jesus’ parable, (Luke 18:11, 12, CEV) was proud of the way he carried out the commandments. And, he made sure to list them so God could hear. For good measure, he compared himself to a tax collector, a blue collar worker, who was standing afar off, with his eyes lowered. He (the clergyman) thought that he was so much better than that man!
Was the eyes and heart of the clergyman truly focused on God? And, what was the point of his prayer? Did he come to repent and confess his sin? Or to bask in the sheer presence of an awesome, omnipotent, faithful, and majestic God?
To be sure, God already knew all the things the clergyman had done. All of them were admirable. But God was not impressed, because God was looking at the posture of this man’s heart. And what God saw was narcissism, pompousness, and a lack of humility.
Jesus points out that when our motives do not align with what God expects—a pure heart—our prayers go awry.
“When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God….” (v.14a)
Think about how we respond to blessings. Do we compare ourselves to others and always seem to come out on top based on our education, where we live, who we know, what we earn, how we serve in God’s house? Would such an attitude be pleasing to God?
Jesus Christ is our role model. The Scriptures tell us:
Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others. (Philippians 2:8,9, CEV)
Jesus ends his lesson by saying:
“If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored” (Luke 18:14b, CEV).
It certainly is something to think about.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to humble ourselves so that you will draw near us. Remind us that you will not walk with the proud or scornful, but only with those whose spirits remain humble. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
©Medytations 2022
October 19, 2022
Wednesday’s Word
Praying With One Eye Open
Imagine praying aloud in church. (Does that scare you?) Then imagine hearing someone utter these words:
“God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like [fill in your name] over there. I fast twice a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
Jesus, during his ministry, taught many lessons on prayer. This time (read Luke 18:9-14), he was giving a Master Class, not so much on prayer, but on the motives people adopt as they approach God or interact with each other. Jesus was pointing out, among other things, how utterly irrelevant our prayers are when we do not adopt a spirit of humility.
Humility is a cornerstone of our walk with God. Recall how God promised a turnaround to his people if they humbled themselves:
”If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them…” (2 Chronicles 7:14, CEV).
Further, God’s Word tells us “everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say,
‘God opposes proud people,
but he helps everyone
who is humble.’”
(1 Peter 5:5, CEV)
Humility allows us to present ourselves before God as we truly are, not as we would like others to see us. When we puff up ourselves, instead of our eyes watching God, our eyes are watching others to see if they see our good works. It’s like praying with one eye open!
The Pharisee, the temple clergyman, in Jesus’ parable, (Luke 18:11, 12, CEV) was proud of the way he carried out the commandments. And, he made sure to list them so God could hear. For good measure, he compared himself to a tax collector, a blue collar worker, who was standing afar off, with his eyes lowered. He (the clergyman) thought that he was so much better than that man!
Was the eyes and heart of the clergyman truly focused on God? And, what was the point of his prayer? Did he come to repent and confess his sin? Or to bask in the sheer presence of an awesome, omnipotent, faithful, and majestic God?
To be sure, God already knew all the things the clergyman had done. All of them were admirable. But God was not impressed, because God was looking at the posture of this man’s heart. And what God saw was narcissism, pompousness, and a lack of humility.
Jesus points out that when our motives do not align with what God expects—a pure heart—our prayers go awry.
“When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God….” (v.14a)
Think about how we respond to blessings. Do we compare ourselves to others and always seem to come out on top based on our education, where we live, who we know, what we earn, how we serve in God’s house? Would such an attitude be pleasing to God?
Jesus Christ is our role model. The Scriptures tell us:
Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others. (Philippians 2:8,9, CEV)
Jesus ends his lesson by saying:
“If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored” (Luke 18:14b, CEV).
It certainly is something to think about.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to humble ourselves so that you will draw near us. Remind us that you will not walk with the proud or scornful, but only with those whose spirits remain humble. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
©Medytations 2022
Wednesday’s Word
by Dorette Saunders
Imagine praying aloud in church. (Does that scare you?) Then imagine hearing someone utter these words:
“God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like [fill in your name] over there. I fast twice a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
Jesus, during his ministry, taught many lessons on prayer. This time (read Luke 18:9-14), he was giving a Master Class, not so much on prayer, but on the motives people adopt as they approach God or interact with each other. Jesus was pointing out, among other things, how utterly irrelevant our prayers are when we do not adopt a spirit of humility.
Humility is a cornerstone of our walk with God. Recall how God promised a turnaround to his people if they humbled themselves:
”If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them…” (2 Chronicles 7:14, CEV).
Further, God’s Word tells us “everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say,
‘God opposes proud people,
but he helps everyone
who is humble.’”
(1 Peter 5:5, CEV)
Humility allows us to present ourselves before God as we truly are, not as we would like others to see us. When we puff up ourselves, instead of our eyes watching God, our eyes are watching others to see if they see our good works. It’s like praying with one eye open!
The Pharisee, the temple clergyman, in Jesus’ parable, (Luke 18:11, 12, CEV) was proud of the way he carried out the commandments. And, he made sure to list them so God could hear. For good measure, he compared himself to a tax collector, a blue collar worker, who was standing afar off, with his eyes lowered. He (the clergyman) thought that he was so much better than that man!
Was the eyes and heart of the clergyman truly focused on God? And, what was the point of his prayer? Did he come to repent and confess his sin? Or to bask in the sheer presence of an awesome, omnipotent, faithful, and majestic God?
To be sure, God already knew all the things the clergyman had done. All of them were admirable. But God was not impressed, because God was looking at the posture of this man’s heart. And what God saw was narcissism, pompousness, and a lack of humility.
Jesus points out that when our motives do not align with what God expects—a pure heart—our prayers go awry.
“When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God….” (v.14a)
Think about how we respond to blessings. Do we compare ourselves to others and always seem to come out on top based on our education, where we live, who we know, what we earn, how we serve in God’s house? Would such an attitude be pleasing to God?
Jesus Christ is our role model. The Scriptures tell us:
Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others. (Philippians 2:8,9, CEV)
Jesus ends his lesson by saying:
“If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored” (Luke 18:14b, CEV).
It certainly is something to think about.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to humble ourselves so that you will draw near us. Remind us that you will not walk with the proud or scornful, but only with those whose spirits remain humble. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
©Medytations 2022
October 19, 2022
Wednesday’s Word
Praying With One Eye Open
Imagine praying aloud in church. (Does that scare you?) Then imagine hearing someone utter these words:
“God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like [fill in your name] over there. I fast twice a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
Jesus, during his ministry, taught many lessons on prayer. This time (read Luke 18:9-14), he was giving a Master Class, not so much on prayer, but on the motives people adopt as they approach God or interact with each other. Jesus was pointing out, among other things, how utterly irrelevant our prayers are when we do not adopt a spirit of humility.
Humility is a cornerstone of our walk with God. Recall how God promised a turnaround to his people if they humbled themselves:
”If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them…” (2 Chronicles 7:14, CEV).
Further, God’s Word tells us “everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say,
‘God opposes proud people,
but he helps everyone
who is humble.’”
(1 Peter 5:5, CEV)
Humility allows us to present ourselves before God as we truly are, not as we would like others to see us. When we puff up ourselves, instead of our eyes watching God, our eyes are watching others to see if they see our good works. It’s like praying with one eye open!
The Pharisee, the temple clergyman, in Jesus’ parable, (Luke 18:11, 12, CEV) was proud of the way he carried out the commandments. And, he made sure to list them so God could hear. For good measure, he compared himself to a tax collector, a blue collar worker, who was standing afar off, with his eyes lowered. He (the clergyman) thought that he was so much better than that man!
Was the eyes and heart of the clergyman truly focused on God? And, what was the point of his prayer? Did he come to repent and confess his sin? Or to bask in the sheer presence of an awesome, omnipotent, faithful, and majestic God?
To be sure, God already knew all the things the clergyman had done. All of them were admirable. But God was not impressed, because God was looking at the posture of this man’s heart. And what God saw was narcissism, pompousness, and a lack of humility.
Jesus points out that when our motives do not align with what God expects—a pure heart—our prayers go awry.
“When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God….” (v.14a)
Think about how we respond to blessings. Do we compare ourselves to others and always seem to come out on top based on our education, where we live, who we know, what we earn, how we serve in God’s house? Would such an attitude be pleasing to God?
Jesus Christ is our role model. The Scriptures tell us:
Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others. (Philippians 2:8,9, CEV)
Jesus ends his lesson by saying:
“If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored” (Luke 18:14b, CEV).
It certainly is something to think about.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to humble ourselves so that you will draw near us. Remind us that you will not walk with the proud or scornful, but only with those whose spirits remain humble. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
©Medytations 2022
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