Bothering Prayer

Luke 18:1–8 NIV

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?”

Note

The parable in question describes the risk of having weak prayers... The problem is not the absence of prayer, but the absence of prayer that bothers, a prayer so strong that it annoys the unjust judge.

The prayer we want to experience tonight is a movement of the soul, not a movement of the lips.

Tonight's prayer was not born in your heart by chance, by accident; it is not a performance, but your prayer defines your deepest desire.

This woman's prayer is not a prayer divided into two parts: 50 percent necessary, 50 percent optional; her prayer expressed the passion of her soul, irrepressible, uncontainable, unshakeable!

Doubtful prayer is no prayer at all.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

The strength and intensity of prayer certainly does not depend on physical vehemence, tone of voice, or posture, but on the fact that it is the Holy Spirit who planted the seed of prayer in our hearts.

A seed that has germinated, grown, flourished, and can no longer be kept hidden.

This evening we have before us the only kind of prayer God hears: fervent, passionate prayer, the prayer that importunes God.

That prayer that knows no seasons, that knows no rules, that overcomes every obstacle, that is not intimidated by the gravity of the problem:

It is the prayer of Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah;

It is the prayer of Jacob who wrestled all night with the Angel of the Lord, sparing no effort;

It is the prayer of Daniel who for three weeks sought an answer from God;

It is the prayer of the Syrophoenician woman who persisted with Jesus in asking for the deliverance of her daughter.

True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length. The Secret Of Power In Prayer, Volume 34, Sermon #2002 - John 15:7

Charles Spurgeon

The unjust judge will answer the widow's prayer not because she had lost her husband, or because of her weakness, or because she was alone in a time of difficulty...

The one and only reason the judge granted the widow's request was because she was persistent.

At the end of this evening of prayer, what will matter to God is only one thing: was he persistent in his prayer? Do you want your prayer to disturb heaven, or do you want it to die under the chairs of this church?