By Andrew Williams – March 16, 2021
Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.” Luke 18:9-14 GNT
Introduction
Prayer is simply focusing on God. Stated more clearly: prayer is simply directing our attention and effort towards God. As I look back at my prayer life I see myself in each of the persons mentioned in this parable. As I seek to improve my relationship and fellowship with God the question that I am asking myself today is, “How can I Redirect My Focus to achieve this goal”? I will look at Luke 18:9-14 and will share with you what I learn.
My Days As A Pharisee
I remember the days when I just accepted to Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. In those early days I felt so entitled and I thought I was better than other persons because I was now a part of the family of God. I used to compare myself to others and I thought that because I was doing good stuff, that I had a right to tell God about these things as a way of showing how good I was.
In terms of my prayer life I thought I was doing well, because I would tell God about all the good things I was doing and how much better I was than other persons. As I look back I realized that I was not very loving towards others. I wasn’t selfish, but I was self-centered.
My focus was on who I was and what I could get from God. As much as I wanted relationship with God I wanted it on my terms. I did not want to be fully surrendered to God. I saw God as been far away, way up in heaven and that I had to WORK hard to have a good relationship with Him.
Prayer is simply focusing on God/directing our attention and effort towards God ! At that time I didn’t know this. Back then, and for a VERY LONG TIME afterwards I never lived according to this definition of prayer. So, looking back, I see now why my relationship with God never progressed in those years.
My Days as a Tax Collector
About four years ago I discovered this definition of prayer while preparing for a teaching. My eyes and my understanding was immediately opened to a new way of approaching God in prayer. I began to see myself the way that I believe that the tax collector saw himself : as a sinner who had no right to be in God’s presence, as one who was repentant, and one who needed God’s grace.
So four years ago, I started the process of taking the focus off myself and placing it back where it belonged, on God. In the time that I’ve been doing this I have seen so many Godly changes in my life. I now have a deeper relationship with Him, I now love people more than I have ever done in my life, I understand the scriptures more, and I hear from God more clearly.
My days with the tax collector mentality on prayer are still ongoing and I pray that they will never end. This mentality is that of being humble before God and being focused ON God in prayer.
What Will Jesus Say About Me?
Prayer is simply focusing on God ! We can focus on God in: the act of praying, listening to sermons, discussing God’s Word, sharing with and helping others, and in our thoughts. When I look back at my life I realize that I did not spend the majority of my time focused on God or directing my attention and effort towards God.
Jesus said, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.” At this time in my life I am wondering how Jesus sees me.
I have humbled myself in many ways and I know that I have drawn closer to God and He has come closer to me. But the truth is , I still am not fully focused on God. My “prayer life” has improved, and I am grateful for that, but I WANT MORE!
I want to know God more ! I want deeper fellowship with Him! I want to serve Him more! I want to obey more (fully and promptly). I want to serve wholeheartedly where He has sent me, and I want to be His disciple who will faithfully disciple others !
Jesus Sees You Too
I have intentionally spoken about myself today to show you where I am and where I have been. I truly don’t know what Jesus would say about me now but just like how He sees me, He also sees you too. So my questions to you are these :
1.Which person in this passage describes you?
2. Are you focused on God?
3. Is your prayer life self-centered or God-centered?
Prayer
Father God as we learn from this passage help us to be like the tax collector whose focus is on You. We humble ourselves before You right now and repent of our sins, and ask You by Your grace to save us. We thank You Lord for Your salvation and we commit to improving our fellowship with You by drawing closer to You so that You will draw closer to us. We want more God, more of You, more with You, more from You, and we give our all to You. We surrender, submit, and pledge to serve You wholeheartedly, Amen.
