The Power of Humble Prayer

By Dean Collins

I have a lot of memories of church services from my childhood. I was born into a family that was deeply committed to attending church every time the doors were open. When my father returned to the states after WWII, he became a Christian. He was convinced that God was calling him to the ministry. In the next decade he had four sons, worked for GM, and attended Bible college off and on but never completed a degree. And he started several churches. There were no exceptions on attending church. It was required.

 While I have fond memories of some very kind adults who loved me and our family, I also have distinct memories of wondering if the church service would ever end! The church services were very predictable back in the day. They opened the same way, and they ended the same way. And the songs, scripture readings, communion, offering, and prayers all seemed to be the same, as well. I especially remember the prayers.

 It was always elders who offered the prayers when communion was served, the offerings were received, and when it was time for the benediction. One key element that probably influenced these prayers was the fact that in 1960, when most of my memories of church began, the King James Version of the Bible was all anyone read. Looking back on those days, the prayers of the elders all seemed to sound a lot like the King’s English, which other than in church, no one ever used. So as a child I believed that the elder’s model of prayer was the one I was to copy if my prayers were to be heard by God.  

 Reading the first 17 verses of Luke 18, it dawned on me that Jewish children and adults probably thought the same thing about the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the religious authorities. Their attire, their attitudes, and their prayers were seen as proper. To be genuine in one’s faith then, meant that one adheres to and probably even model. 

 As Jesus told his two parables about prayer in chapter 18, we find that he is once again revealing a reversal of everything that the Jewish believers thought. These parables come right after Jesus had introduced that the kingdom of God was within the reach of every believer and not just the Pharisees. The focus of the Jewish faith then, and unfortunately of our faith now, has often focused on what God will do and reveal in the future instead of what he has revealed and is doing now.

 Jesus told his listeners that we should always be praying and never lose heart, wondering if God hears or answers our prayers. In many places the scriptures teach that God is listening and promises to answer our prayers. Jesus talked about this many times. God will resolve all matters of injustice and of our needs, not only ultimately but regularly, as we faithfully present our concerns to him. He is not an unjust judge but rather an attentive and loving father.

 The second parable about prayer demonstrated the difference between an “official” kind of believer and a known sinner: a tax collector and a Pharisee. The Pharisee made sure God and anyone in listening distance knew his perfect pedigree and his perfect understanding of matters of law and, therefore, of God. The tax collector, on the other hand, humbly asked for God’s mercy because he knew he was a sinner, both inside and out. The parable ends with these words:

 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

 Don’t misunderstand my point. I do not believe that the elders of the church in my memories were Pharisees. They were doing their best trying to follow God based on their understanding of scripture. And honestly, the Pharisees were likely doing the same. But what is clear from all of Jesus’ teaching is that humility before God is necessary for our hearts and minds to be transformed by the power of the cross. When we surrender to Jesus, our best days are ahead of us because we discover that the mercy of God changes us and allows us to grasp his kingdom as we daily show the world the kindness and love of Christ.

Father, forgive us for every prideful attitude and action. Today we will pray and not lose heart because we know that you are with us, for us, and will use us to reveal your kingdom both near and far through our acts of love toward others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Luke 18:1-17 ESV

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