How to pray

I read two passages in Luke 18 this morning that really speak on how to pray. Both prayers are sincere. Both prayers are simple. Both prayers have a certain amount of desperation. Both prayers ask for mercy. The first:

Luke 18:9-14 NASB

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Here both men are sinners, as we all are. But one comes before God and puffs himself up as though God does not know his heart. The other acknowledges his sin and humbles himself before God and begs for mercy.

We cannot exalt ourselves before God. God is the Creator/Sustainer of all things. We're going to impress God? Really? And we're going to do so by putting others, who were made in the image of God no less than us, down? This is not a good plan. This is not a good prayer.

The one who honestly and humbly confesses his own sin and asks for mercy does so acknowledging that he cannot save himself. His goodness is not enough. He is not sufficient. Only God is truly good. Only God can save. Only God can forgive sins. Only God can make things right. He has humbled himself and gone to the source of his salvation and begged for mercy. This is a good prayer.

We see the idea of calling out to Jesus for mercy in the second prayer. It may not seem initially like a prayer, but what else do you call crying out to God?

Luke 18:35-43 NASB

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Look at what the blind man calls Jesus. He calls him "Son of David". He acknowledges who Jesus is. He identifies that Jesus is the only thing that can help him. Jesus is the only thing that can save him. And so he cries out to Jesus. He begs Jesus for mercy.

The crowd is annoyed with him. They tell him to be quiet. They try to shut him up but he doesn't care. This is a man in need of a Saviour. And his Saviour answers, asking what he wants. And then Jesus gives it to him.

When we pray do we go to God without regard to what others think? When we pray do we acknowledge how much we depend on God? Do we humble ourselves, knowing that we are not the source of our own salvation? Do we acknowledge our sin? Do we beg for mercy? Do we need our Saviour as much as these two men did?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9