Two Pray-ers

AM Psalm 95* for the invitatory & 32, 143 • PM Psalm 102, 130
Jonah 3:1-4:11 • Heb. 12:1-14 • Luke 18:9-14

There is a parable to read today. It starts like this:

Two men went up to the temple to pray,

one a Pharisee

and the other a tax-collector.

It ends like this:

…for all who exalt themselves will be humbled,

but all who humble themselves will be exalted.

The part in the middle is the difference between saying,

“Thank God I’m not like that,”

and praying

“Oh, God, help me ‘cause I’m like this!”

The trick is catching yourself when you really do feel like the Pharisee.

Written by Troy Schremmer

Troy, who lives in Fayetteville with his wife Jonny and their son Huck, works with preschool age children as an enrichment teacher in music and movement. He also sings songs at our public library and volunteers as a teacher-helper in Children’s Sunday School.