Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time, he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!”
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:1-8
Jesus is our capable advocate before the throne of God. He will present our case and ensure that we get relief.
In the text, Jesus is saying that if an evil judge who does not fear man nor God can eventually break down and give justice because a widow persists, then what about God who is just, merciful, and compassionate?
God will hear our prayers because He is loving and gracious. He sent His one and only son to be a propitiation for us. Therefore, we should be persistent in our prayer life.
The poor widow in the text was at a disadvantage. She was poor and had no one to advocate for her. Notwithstanding this, she had one thing on her side. She was persistent.
The judge could ignore her, but she would engage him wherever she could, at his court, at his home, and in the street. She was determined that she would get justice.
She reasoned that if she got no justice, the judge would not get any rest. Therefore, until he acquiesced and gave her justice, he would not have peace.
Jesus’ objective in using this parable as a teaching tool was to encourage the elect to pray without ceasing. We the people of God should pray constantly.
God expects us to call upon His name often, especially when we are in trouble. He will hear our prayers and come to our rescue.
We should never give up. God is merciful and will not ignore us. He is gracious and He wants the best for us.
Many of us pray for changes in our own lives and that of our family. However, when we do not get an immediate response, we tend to believe that we are praying in vain.
Consequently, we become discouraged and give up. For some of us, changes may not come in our lifetime. Notwithstanding that, change will come. Therefore, don’t give up. Don’t become discouraged.
God made a promise to Abraham that He would be the father of a great people. Abraham trusted God even though he never got to see that promise come true. God did fulfill that promise.
Even though things in our lives may seem to be going downhill, trust in God and He will lift us up. When life’s burdens want to take us under, we must trust God. When sickness and death take a foothold in our life, we should take our burden to God in prayer. God will rescue us.
He said that He will be with us no matter the circumstances. Yes, even though family and friends may forsake us, God will not.
The objective of this text is to teach us to call upon the name of the Lord in prayer and to trust Him. Yes, prayer changes things. Therefore, we should be constant in prayer, praying without ceasing. Yes, we should be persistent in our prayer life. Amen.
• Reverend Samuel M. Boodle, pastor at the Lutheran Church of Nassau, 119 John F. Kennedy Dr can be reached at P.O. Box N 4794, Nassau, Bahamas; or telephone 426-9084; website: www.nassaulutheranchurch.org.
