Prayer…continuous, unrelenting, persistent prayer is so important that Jesus spoke a parable concerning the importance of it and followed His parable with explanation.
She was a widow lady. Right there was part of her stress factor. She was alone to fend for herself in a man’s world. The plight of widows in bibical times made their life difficult. She is a stranger to the judge. She has nothing to bribe him with and no one to be an advocate for her. Not only is she alone but she has an adversary who contends with her. Someone with whom she is in dispute. She needed the judge to hear her case and avenge her. She was continually at his door. He was delaying her case. Finally, after her appearance at his door more times than he wanted he decided that though he did not fear God, man or this woman…he would avenge her in her cause.
Like this widow, the elect of God would be left alone when Jesus returned to the Father. We were going to have adversaries. Our judge will indeed eventually avenge us. Jesus was concerned that the elect children of God would lose faith before He, the Son of Man would return. His suggestion while we wait…persistent prayer.
Thought For Today:
Unlike this widow, we are not alone here. We have an advocate that the widow did not have to step before the judge on her behalf. His name? Jesus. Unlike the widows judge, our judge is just, He is our God. He will avenge us in our dispute with our adversaries. There will be a delay but final judgement will come. The widow could not just come into the presence of the judge anytime she wanted. In contrast the believer has access to our judge through Jesus Christ twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week through prayer and study of His word. We have His ear. He hears our pleadings and He answers us. The judgement decision will be declared when the Son of Man returns but while we wait…Jesus asks that we remain persistent in prayer as this widow in her pleadings. Always at the door of our God. Lifting our petitions to Him and offering praise for His response. “The moment to moment contact through prayer with our Judge, will strengthen our faith and assure that we remain strong In dealing with our adversaries and are found faithful and ready when He comes for us.
Scripture For Today:
Luke 18:1-8
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (NKJV)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! We live in perilous times. There seems to be terror everywhere. We feel pressed in by adversaries. Yet, we know You hear our prayers. You answer us and You will avenge us. We pray for strength to remain faithful to our belief in Your Son and His return. We pray for patience while we wait and that we make prayer without ceasing our daily goal. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
© 2015 Kathy Ledbetter all rights reserved