Lord God, have pity on me, a sinner! I offer you my humble heart and confess to you my shortcomings. Cleanse me of my sin and teach me to walk in the way of your truth. Thank you for your steadfast love and forgiveness. In your holy name I pray. Amen.

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July 3, 2014 Luke 18:1-14 (Good News Translation) God’s Word: Teaching Us about Mercy and Forgiveness Introduction Luke 18:1-14: Today’s reading includes two parables. The first teaches about being persistent in prayer, and the second about approaching God in prayer with a humble heart. Today’s Scripture: Luke 18:14b [Jesus said]: “For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.” Today’s Reading 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged. 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. 3 And there was a widow in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights, saying, “Help me against my opponent!” 4 For a long time the judge refused to act, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I don't fear God or respect people, 5yet because of all the trouble this widow is giving me, I will see to it that she gets her rights. If I don't, she will keep on coming and finally wear me out! ’ ” 6 And the Lord continued, “Listen to what that corrupt judge said. 7 Now, will God not judge in favor of his own people who cry to him day and night for help? Will he be slow to help them? 8 I tell you, he will judge in their favor and do it quickly. But will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes? ” 9 Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else.10 “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11 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. 12 I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income. ’13 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!” 14 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.”  Reflect In what ways are the widow and the tax collector models for prayer? Jesus tells the second parable “to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else.”