This week at Luther we had a few days off for "reading days" to continue stuyding for midterms which was great! I have to admit I did not spend much time reading over reading days. It was great to spend the week at home and spend time with Chad and my sister Katie and go to Church at Trinity on Wednesday evening.
This week in the lectionary the gospel text is Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. The Pharisee thanks God that he is not like the other sinners, including the tax collector. The tax-collector admits his sin and asks God for mercy. In the end Jesus says, "all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." This parable has made me think a lot about God's grace this week. Its amazing that God calls us and loves us as we are! I wanted to share this exerpt of a devotional from Luther Seminary that was really inspiring:
"... Yet I also see myself as the tax collector, "the sinner." If I am honest with myself I admit I do things I really do not want to do. A selfish part deep at my core hurts the people I love the most. It is then that I cannot even look up to heaven and all I can murmur is "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"
When I realize that this part of me that I really do not like is not something I can change, I surrender. I cry out to God, "Have mercy." And then transformation begins. God begins to work. When I hear the words "you are special," "you are mine," and "I love you" each week as I worship God takes hold of me. I am transformed from "pathetic sinner" to God's loved, special child."
taken from:
http://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/
God is Good!
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