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Not Every Prayer

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.’” Luke 18:9-10

Prayers are not the same. Some are humble cries to the Lord; but some are self-righteous rants before God. The first declares our unworthiness in the presence of our King. The second tells God how good we are compared to those around us, as if God is blessed to have us on His side.

When I used to provide coaching for churches, I would be in meetings that included prayer. Some of those times were corporate praying that was open to all. I can still remember one in which a person very awkwardly poured their heart out to the Lord while the next waxed eloquent with fine-sounding words. As I listened to the second person, I was not sure that God knew anything, especially how special the pray-er was. As in our passage today, I believe the first person went home justified by God but not the second.

Not every prayer is heard, especially from those who are confident in their own righteousness. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. When we lift our heads, He bows them down. But when we bow our heads, He lifts them up.

Prayer Focus: Loving Father, thank You for always responding to the humble and meek. You are the lifter of our heads, and we thank You. May we never take our salvation for granted nor become haughty in the wonderful privilege and life given us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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