August 20, 2026
Forgiven - Part 4
Luke 18:10,13
08/20/2026
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a
Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not
even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his
breast, saying, ``God, be merciful to me, a
sinner!'' (ESV)
This week we pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear
than we to pray and to give more than we either desire
or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of Your
mercy, forgiving those things of which our conscience
is afraid and giving us those good things that we are
not worthy to ask, except through the merits and
mediation of Christ, our Lord.
``Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee
and the other a tax collector.'' Unlike the Pharisee, who
confidently walked into the Temple with his head held high, the
tax collector slowly walked in. He stood in the shadows, knowing
that his neighbors despised him, calling him a traitor and a
thief. People avoided him, not wishing to engage in
conversation, not wishing to be seen with him.
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even
lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast,
saying, ``God, be merciful to me, a sinner!''
Our English translations do not do justice to the original
Greek. Saint Luke recorded the tax collector's words, ``Lord, be
merciful to me, the sinner.'' This tax collector did not hide
himself as one of many sinners. He stood alone, taking
responsibility for his sin, not comparing himself to anyone or
anything but God's holy law.
There is no pretense, you and I stand with the tax
collector, for we also have sinned against God and neighbor. Was
God pleased to hear this prayer?
May our Lord grant us the courage to take full
responsibility for our sin and confess it to Him. Amen.