Teach us to pray-16
Prayers to God need to be reverent, sincere, and humble. But, they also must be persistent. You mean praying once on an issue, desire, or problem isn’t enough to get God to respond favorably?
Luke 18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 18:2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.
Why would Jesus use this man as His example on how we should pray?
18:3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' 18:4 "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 8:5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"
Why did this man finally give this widow justice? Why did Jesus use a widow in His example? Widows were often perceived as defenseless and ripe for deception and targets for thieves. The Pharisees were guilty of this.
Mark 12:38 In His teaching He was saying: "Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 2:39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 12:40 who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation."
Instead of defending, protecting, and helping widows who were not able to work for pay themselves, they defrauded them and slowly impoverished them through fees and judgments. Jesus used widows to provide His example for someone who needed to be defended and was fully dependent on others, in this case, Him.
18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8:8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
This is the question we all must address at some time! Will God not bring justice for one of His adopted children? But, why the delay? Why doesn’t God immediately hear and respond to our cry?
A few reasons come to mind.
Our timing is not God’s timing.
Is this really as important to God as it is to us?
It can make us reconsider why we are praying in this manner.
It should challenge our motives.
Does this need for persistence make us reconsider our requests in any manner?
Is our heart right before Him.
Are we asking with humbleness and honesty?
Patience and persistence can build character and bring us closer to His will and farther from our own will.
Are we sure that God has not already answered this in some other manner?
More next Saturday.