Perseverance in Prayer

READ: PSALMS 68:5; 145:8-9; LUKE 18:1-8 Have you ever felt like you have lost the heart to pray? It could be for any number of reasons. Jesus knows there are times we may be discouraged from praying, and so He tells a parable in Luke 18 meant to encourage His people to not give up praying. The first character in this story is a judge. Right away, we learn this is not a God-fearing or people-respecting judge, meaning he’s probably not going to settle your case fairly. Chances are, to get a favorable ruling, you’d probably need to grease this judge’s palm. Next, we meet the second character in the story: an impoverished widow seeking justice from the unjust judge. This widow doesn’t have the influence, power, or money necessary to sway his opinion. So, what does the widow do? She perseveres. Eventually the judge gives the widow a just ruling because he becomes so sick and tired of her “pestering” him (verse 5)! Now, we may read this parable and think the judge is supposed to be God. If that were true, then God would be a grumpy, unfair judge who only listens to us if we bug Him enough. But this view of God couldn’t be further from the truth! Notice how Jesus explains the parable in verses 6 and 7: if even the unjust judge in this story answered the widow’s request because of her perseverance, how much more will a perfectly just and loving God answer our requests? With this truth in mind, we can be encouraged to persevere in our prayers, knowing that God hears us with tenderness and compassion. • Jonathon Fuller • Can you think of a time you lost the heart to pray? Jesus understands. He sees everything you’re going through, and He has so much empathy for you. • When we’re hurting, it’s easy to imagine that God is coldhearted toward us. But He loves us so ardently that He was willing to die for us! Whenever you pray, you can rest assured that you belong to the God who has chosen you, receives your cry, and promises to work on your behalf. Do you have any favorite Bible passages that remind you what God is really like? How could being reminded of God’s characteristics—like His love, His justice, and His profound care for us—help us come to Him with our needs and longings? Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CSB)