Persistent Prayer

One of my earliest memories of praying to my heavenly father is when my mother used to teach my brothers and I to kneel and pray as children.

Yet one of my later memories some 10 years later is when I asked my father to teach me how to pray, and he did. Yet, I am not absent of challenges and praying prayers that appear not to be answered.

Yet one of my later memories some 10 years later is when I asked my father to teach me how to pray, and he did.

However, have you ever reached a situation where you gave up on praying or you just felt like a broken record hoping for something to happen?

Like you’ve been giving it your best and seeing nothing for so long? You’re weary. You know you ought to be praying, but… nothing’s happening.

Jesus opens this well known scripture with a command

King James Version

So ch. 11:5–7. & 21:36. Rom. 12:12. Eph. 6:18. Col. 4:2. 1 Thess. 5:17.

King James Version Chapter 18

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint

English Standard Version Chapter 18

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

ESVAnd he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Context: This is not so much about prayer for everyday things, but every-day prayer for God’s kingdom. Keep praying and don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up.

The Judge

ESVHe said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.It wouldn’t be hard for the original hearers to imagine such a judge—neither is it difficult for us. positions of power used for self-serving purposesvillage judges: established by Rome, similar to tax collectors in the way they were regarded by Jews. He could not care less. I noted the terms that others have used to characterize such a man: wicked, cold-hearted, godless, cold and calculating. Jesus called him the ‘unjust judge.’

The Widow

ESVAnd there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’On one hand Jesus has us picture a man in a position of power (who is about as lousy as they come). He contrasts that with a woman in a position of utter vulnerability .Scripture commands special care for oppressed widows and fatherless children no husband or anyone else to plead her case ( - learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widows cause”)She represents those who have nothing and no one; they are oppressed, need help, and have nothing but hope that asking will make a differenceJesus doesn’t describe her age or her exact situation, only that she has an opponent and believes that right is on her side. So she comes to one who can and should help, and pleads for justice. Maybe some has robbed her or defrauder her. Maybe her deceased husband’s estate has been withheld from her. I picture a tiny gray-haired lady who means business! ESVFor a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, Next case, pleaseIllustration: phone frustration, waiting on hold forever only to be redirected and redirected and redirectedBut she kept coming and eventually got inside his head. She got him talking to himself: “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ESVyet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”Don’t you love that? By her repeated pleas, she managed to get on the judges last nerve. She bothered him into ruling in her favor. He wasn’t moved with compassion or steered by justice. He wouldn’t even budge out of shame. But this woman was about to to bother him to death!

The Lesson

ESVAnd the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”Paraphrase: ‘Did you hear that? Even a rascally scoundrel can be bothered into right action. How much more will God!’ 1. Jesus reminds us of the trustworthy character of God. The day of the Lord will come; the world will be judged rightly—but speedily? (ref to , when he deems it right to judge, God himself will be a “swift witness” against those who oppress the vulnerable.) ESVBut do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.2. Jesus gives us a question: When he returns, will he find faith?There is a tendency to evaluate God on his short-term performance—and sadly many discontinue their faith based on that evaluation.Short-term disappointment is to be expected. Christian faith is long-range faith with constant day-in-and-day-out prayer. Not to bother God into action, but rather to keeping one’s grip on a sure thing.

Conclusion

We cultivate long-range faith with daily prayer.Don’t give up your prayer life when your weary of “tugging on the pull-start.” The value of prayer and faith is not measured by immediate results. Disappointment and weariness are to be expected, but prayer will prove in the end to be time well spent. Suggestion for the weary: Psalm 42Pray: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (). In your life-with-God, think long-term. Pray long-term. The bigger picture puts today’s trouble and disappointment in perspective. [Prayer: that we would live up to our calling (growing into all that children of Yours should be, worthy of what it means to be Christian); that you would transform our desires and inspire goals that correspond with Your eternal plan (give us purpose and enduring spiritual fruit); that the name of the Lord Jesus would be glorified in us; Come, Lord Jesus!]