Praying with Urgency and Understanding

The Importunate Widow

The first parable indicates that prayers will be quickly answered, and justice will always come immediately. By itself, it could lead to disillusionment if people are expecting vindication when something is (apparently) wrong in their life. But the second parable provides a counterweight that helps believers remain balanced.

Two Parables of Prayer

The parable of the persistent widow and the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector are unique to Luke. The two can be taken together as parables of prayer. The first parable teaches persistence in prayer; the second teaches humility in prayer.

To Pray and not Faint

Humility

The Adversary: Pharisee, or Publican

I am more of an adversary than any ‘other’, including the circumstances arrayed against me.

Even when circumstances oppose me, it is the attitudes and spirits that develop in me that cause me more problems than anything else.

Vengeance: mine or God’s

What I think is right may not be what God thinks is right. God is perfectly just, and sees all things clearly, even when we don’t.

To be justified/vindicated by God is the ultimate relief.

Evidence: seen immediately by me, or settled in heaven

No evidence that the publican received observable relief from the pretentious adversary in the form of the Pharisee. But it was noted in heaven, and the Lord made the judgment.

We may not see all that’s recorded in heaven. Nonetheless, God records it.

The Counterweight of Modesty

God’s ways are higher than ours

First, humility ensures balance in at least a couple of ways. Primarily, it reminds us of who we are, which is sinners in need of mercy.

Not self

As we are seeking justice, we must do so in full awareness of our own need for mercy. So our demand for vindication will be tempered by the reminder that God is merciful, and we obtain mercy as we are merciful as well. Humility also tempers in that it reminds us that God is greater, and his purposes and ways are higher than ours. So as we seek for vindication, we are also careful to recognize that our view of justice may not be sufficiently complete; God’s sense of justice may require some prolonging of our plight.

It’s easy to conflate our will with God’s. “Not my will, but thine be done.” We surrender our will to God’s.

Not relative to the Pharisee or the publican

don’t compare yourselves among yourselves

Second, justification happens before the Lord. Whether we see injustices rectified in this world or not, we can be certain that God declares his justice in the heavens. The oppressed on this earth can be assured that God sees the oppression and makes his declaration concerning it. So if we are victims of injustice, we may not see immediate overthrowing of the oppressor. Still, we can be confident that when we cry out to God and commit our situation to him, he counts the situation with perfect justice. So we cry out to him, and regardless of whether we find material relief, we can be confident that he has heard our prayer and noted the justness of our cause.

We don’t see what God sees

Job: heaven had a point of view

We see through a glass darkly

“Even as I also am known.” God knows us better than we know ourselves.

Season all prayers with humility, and confidence will follow

God will perform his will

Things will fall into place

Faith will grow. Though we may not see everything clearly now, we will find ourselves more confident that God is in control, he is perfectly just, and everything will be alright in the end. So then . . .

Ask, and it shall be given you

And we know that he will not withhold any good thing. So we can ask confidently, and still accept that if our requests are not answered as expected, God is working it out for our good.

Come boldly to the throne of grace

Obtain mercy. More than anything, what we need is mercy.