Shouting Louder
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 about men. 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 about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "
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
INSIGHT
Ten. That's the number of unsolicited political text messages I received today...scratch that, eleven (no lie...my phone buzzed as I was typing these words). I'm not a campaign strategist, but I doubt the best approach to swaying an independent voter like myself is spamming their phone at all hours of the day and night. Rather than just blocking their numbers, which is a futile venture in itself, I have resorted to replying with snarky responses for my amusement.
As annoying as they are, and as much as I can't wait until this election is over, I have to applaud their persistence. They believe in their message, have a heart for their cause, and want to do everything in their power to get the word out. It doesn't matter left or right, liberal or conservative, nothing will stop them from spreading their message.
While watching the bombardment of political ads playing on the television in the background of my living room, I can't help but think of today's Parable of The Persistent Widow. Somebody wronged her, and she demanded justice. So much so, that every day she would plead her case to an uncaring judge. Her appeals were ignored and disregarded every time, but that didn't stop her from showing up and shouting louder. Her tenacity eventually wears down the exhausted judge. He takes her case, and the wronged widow has the floor in front of the one with the power.
Persistence, boldness, and diligence. I don't know about you, but these words don't often define my prayer life. Terms like weary, disillusioned, and disenchanted serve as more apt descriptions. I catch myself from time to time, wondering what keeps me from approaching God's throne with boldness? What causes me to lose heart?
Weariness in prayer often stems from a distorted view of God's character. This perspective develops from an assumption that God has better things to do with His time (bringing peace during wartime, ending poverty, curing diseases, etc.), then listen to our silly requests concerning our little lives and the decisions we face. We forget that we're not sharing our concerns with a stern judge, but rather a loving Father.
Through the telling of this parable, Jesus is nudging us to see the heart of God from a different perspective. God longs for us to participate in His story by lifting our requests to Him, confident that a loving Creator cares about our wants, needs, and desires. He is interested in the situations we face.
Today's parable echoes Paul's message of persistent prayer found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It is a simple message of two words: pray continually. With our busy schedules and all the demands that come with living life, keeping this command seems nearly impossible.
How can one pray without ceasing and not grow weary? Paul says that prayer is a "heart-set" that keeps the lines of communication with God perpetually open. Prayer is about creating an atmosphere where constant communion with God can exist. Be persistent. Be bold. Your loving Father is on the other line.
REFLECTION
How would you describe your prayer life?
What does it look like to pray continually?
PRAYER
God, forgive me for doubting that my concerns are important to You. I desire to trust You with all my hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns. May I be persistent in pursuing Your heart and aligning myself with Your unfolding story before me. Allow me to have the humility to come to You in faith with all that I am. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
