Daily Lesson for Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 18 verses 10 through 14:

10‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” 13But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” 14I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

The old hymn says:

“It’s not my brother, not my sister, it’s me, O Lord,

Standin’ in the need of prayer.”

It’s Ash Wednesday today. There is plenty enough sin and failure to go around. 

Instead of pointing fingers and playing the “What about . . .” game; let’s take today to think and pray.

We heard what the President said last night. This country has been through the wringer; and this world is in real trouble right now. 

Let us stop the petty political games, point scoring, scapegoating, obstruction of all things humane, and take today to pray for ourselves and our world.

Here is a wonderful prayer from Coventry Cathedral in Coventry England, a city bombed during World War II by the madness of war and the inhumanity of nations and people:

“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,

FATHER FORGIVE

The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,

FATHER FORGIVE

The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,

FATHER FORGIVE

Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,

FATHER FORGIVE

Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,

FATHER FORGIVE

The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,

FATHER FORGIVE

The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,

FATHER FORGIVE

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.