“…two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted…”- Luke 18:10-14 (NKJV)
Having emphasized the need to be humble in the place of prayer in the first part of this article, it is important to understand that this virtue called humility, can literally change your prayer life for good. It can move you from the place of limited answers to prayers to unlimited answers to prayers. So the question is, when you pray, does your prayer communicate humility or pride? Do your prayers communicate faith in God and His grace, or faith in the works of the flesh? Does your prayer reflect a comparison with others like the prayer of the first man did? This is something you should meditate on and learn from. You must always understand that above all we do unto and for the Lord, what surpasses all things is the mercy of God. And that is what we should always crave for. Do not be like people who say things like, “I have been very committed in church, I give my tithe and serve in the house of the Lord and yet, the Lord is still far from me” I will not come to church again because whatever I do in the house of the Lord is not being noticed by God”. They feel that they should be heard or be attended to because of their much serving, but they don’t know that it is mercy that makes all the difference.
I remember vividly, a young lady who stopped coming to church because she felt she had done everything and yet God was not answering her prayers. She felt God was not seeing all she was doing meanwhile, she was living with a man who was not her husband. She didn’t see anything wrong with that, all she could see was that she had done everything and yet God was not answering her. Unknown to her that she was violating the scriptures. All she could have asked for was mercy and grace, but instead, she was claiming rights like the tax collector and she left the church. Now, this is where we must learn to understand that the mercy of God is icing on the cake. It is what makes the difference in what we do as we journey with the Lord. Now, please do not misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with paying your tithes, sowing your seeds and fasting regularly. Still, like I said in the first part of this article, it should be done from a place of humility, knowing well that, it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but God who shows mercy..” –Romans 9:16 (NKJV) Therefore, keep your eyes on the one who shows mercy and be humble in prayers.
Today’s Rhema
Whatever you do unto the Lord that is in line with the word must be done from a place of humility and faith in the one who shows mercy!
Confession for the Day
My faith is in the mercy and grace of God not in my actions. My faith is in the power and ability of God who shows mercy. So I refuse to leverage on my actions but on the mercy of God because, in the long run, mercy is what lifts a man up. Praise God!
