耶稣在这个比喻中描述了两种截然不同的祷告态度。
那个在圣殿里祷告的法利赛人感到很理所当然：他才配得上在圣殿里，任何听到他祷告的人都会觉得他的祷告很得体，不是吗？
但这个法利赛人不是来向神祷告的；他是来表彰自己的。他不是来为着神的恩典、怜悯和赦免献上感谢，而是来夸耀自己多么庆幸不像别人那样。他谨守了宗教的规条，又常作十一奉献。与其他人相比，这个法利赛人看似近乎完美了。神应该会喜悦他吧？他当然要比那个“远远” 站着的税吏好得多了。
但耶稣很快就纠正了这个看法。法利赛人回去时和刚来时一样，没有悔改，自以为是。但那个税吏离开时是被神赦免并被称为义的。
对神来说，重要的不是我们认为自己有多好，我们付出了多少，或我们多么勤力地去教会。祂认为重要的是我们祷告的态度——就是我们认识到自己需要神的恩典、怜悯和赦免。只有这样我们才可称义。
今天当你去敬拜神之前，或在家与神相处之前，请先问自己：“我在神面前的态度如何？”
圣灵啊，帮助我们，让我们用祢的视角去看我们自己，并帮助我们看见自己多么需要祢的恩典。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。
路加福音 18:9-14
9耶稣向那些仗着自己是义人，藐视别人的，设一个比喻，
10说：“有两个人上殿里去祷告：一个是法利赛人，一个是税吏。
11法利赛人站着，自言自语地祷告说：‘上帝啊，我感谢你，我不像别人勒索、不义、奸淫，也不像这个税吏。
12我一个礼拜禁食两次，凡我所得的都捐上十分之一。’
13那税吏远远地站着，连举目望天也不敢，只捶着胸说：‘上帝啊，开恩可怜我这个罪人！’
14我告诉你们，这人回家去比那人倒算为义了；因为，凡自高的，必降为卑；自卑的，必升为高。”
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector." — Luke 18:10
In this parable Jesus describes two very different prayer attitudes.
At the temple, where he went to pray, the Pharisee felt right at home. This was where he belonged, of course, and anyone listening to his prayer would be duly impressed, right?
But the Pharisee did not come to pray to God; he came to talk about himself. He did not come to thank God for his grace, mercy, and forgiveness; he came to declare how glad he was that he was not like other people. He followed all the prescribed religious duties and always gave a tenth of what he made. Compared to others, the Pharisee seemed nearly perfect. God had to be pleased with him, right? Certainly he was much better than that tax collector standing "at a distance."
But Jesus quickly set the record straight. The Pharisee went home just as he had come, unrepentant and full of himself. But the tax collec-tor went home forgiven and justified.
What matters to the Lord is not how good we think we are, how much we give, or how often we go to church. What matters is our prayer attitude— that we realize our need for God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Only then will we be justified.
Before you approach God in wor-ship today, or before you spend time with the Lord at home, ask yourself, "What is my attitude before the Lord?"
Holy Spirit, help us to see ourselves as you see us, and help us to see our need for your grace. For Jesus' sake, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
