The Parable OfThe Persistent Widow
“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 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
INTRODUCTION
THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY
Jesus is concerned that we His followers learn to be consistent and diligent in prayer so we can fully accomplish God’s plans and purposes for our lives. Keep in mind that a parable is meant to teach or express a concept with descriptive words so the hearer can learn a specific lesson or point; not every element of a parable represents or relates directly to something else. For example, the unjust judge is obviously not a reference to God, as if we had to beg Him for justice. Jesus is simply making a point about faith and persistence in prayer. From this story, we learn several things:
- Prayer is our means of communicating our concerns to God; we must keep praying about all things until Jesus returns.
- In this life, we will face injustice; our main adversary is Satan. Prayer can protect us from the evil one. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’’ – Matthew 6:13
- In our prayers, we should cry out against sin and injustice and ask God to demonstrate His perfect justice. Our requests must be accompanied by a willingness to listen for God’s direction and to do what He tells us.
- Steadfast prayer shows our faith and trust in God.
- In the final days before Christ’s return, there will be increased satanic and demonic opposition to the prayers of God’s faithful people, meaning that they must resist the urge to quit praying. Because of Satan’s schemes and the pleasures of the world, many will give up a persistent prayer life
CHOSEN ONES, WHO CRY OUT … DAY AND NIGHT
If someone who is not godly will respond to someone who continues to plead with him or her, how much more will God respond to His devoted followers who continually pray for God’s purposes to prevail on earth and for Christ to return to destroy Satan’s power and the evil world system. Until then, Christ wants His followers to participate in His plans through prayer. He is ready and willing to respond to those prayers in His perfect time and way. When God’s people demonstrate their trust in Him through persistent prayer, He will “see that they get justice and quickly”
HE WILL SEE THAT THEY GET JUSTICE.
God is not unwilling to answer our prayers, but He does want us to learn to depend on Him more and to take active role in His plans. As we spend time with Him in prayer, we get to know Him better and we begin to line up our lives and desires with His purposes. That will be most important in the difficult days ahead; but when Jesus returns for those “who cry out to Him day and night”, He will put an end to the distress and suffering they witnessed and endured in a a wicked and hostile world.
At that time, He will take them to be with Him. When Christ comes, His faithful followers will be “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air”. Then God will administer His justice and judgment on the wicked. Ultimately, Christ will return to earth with His followers and reign with perfect justice. Christ’s coming is the only real hope for His people and for this world.
WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?
As Jesus ends this illustration (i.e. word picture), He links faith directly with continued, pursuing prayer. Continuing to bring a need to God does not show a lack of faith, but just the opposite. It shows that the issue has been released to God. It shows that we recognize that our concerns belong to God. It removes the feeling of being anxious or worried because we can depend on Christ.
This will be as important as ever in the days ahead. Jesus’ question suggest that as the time for His return draws nearer, evil will be so increased that many in the church willstop depending on Christ and forsake their faith in Him. As Christ return draws nearer every Christian should continue to ask: Am I showing my faith through continued prayer about everything?
Am I praying that God’s justice will prevail and that His purposes will be accomplished completely – now and forever? If the answers are no then as believers we need to ask ourselves if we are really living for and looking for His return
To be continued!
Source: Culled from Fire Bible – Global Study Edition
Stay blessed!
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