Day 20 - ‘God, Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner’: The Prayer of the Tax Collector

The religious elite of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees, often had a very wrong understanding of how to be righteous in God’s eyes. They believed that keeping the appearance of the law was paramount to their salvation, but in this parable, Jesus shows how true righteousness is obtained; in a humble heart. 

When we understand that we can’t earn our salvation, despite our best attempts, but rather come to grips with the depths of our sinfulness, we can pray a sincere prayer like the tax collector, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’