Here is a devotion to start your day!
A spoken version of this devotion is available through the Still, Here audio reflections podcast.
Scripture: Luke 18:9–14
The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Reflection
A Pharisee and a tax collector go up to the temple to pray. While this sounds like the beginnings of a joke, this situation provides a stark contrast. One stands tall, praying about himself: his fasting, his tithing, his moral superiority. The other stands far off, unable to lift his eyes, beating his chest and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
Jesus’ verdict is startling: it is the second man, not the first, who goes home justified. The difference is not who has sinned more, but who is willing to drop the mask. The Pharisee uses prayer as a platform to perform; the tax collector uses it as a place to collapse into mercy.
We all have religious masks—stories we tell ourselves and others about how well we’re doing, how together we are, how unlike “those people” we’ve managed to be. The season of Lent gently asks us to set those masks down. The only thing they truly block is grace.
Love in the wilderness is attracted to honesty, not polish. God is not impressed by your spiritual résumé, nor is He surprised by your failures. What moves His heart is the simple, humble plea: “Have mercy on me.” confession is not our way of convincing God we are unworthy; it is our way of admitting we need what He delights to give.
Today, let prayer be the place you stop performing.
A Prayer of Presence
Merciful God,
I come with empty hands. Strip away my need to impress You or others. Teach me to pray like the tax collector—simply, honestly, trusting that Your mercy is enough for me. – Amen
Practice for Today
Pray the tax collector’s prayer slowly several times: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Notice any resistance or self-justifying thoughts that rise. Gently lay them down without arguing.
Consider This...
In what ways do I find myself “praying to myself” like the Pharisee—using spiritual language to protect my image rather than open my heart?
Carry This Prayer With You Today
Breathe in: Have mercy on me...
Breathe out: ... give me a humble heart
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