Persistence in Prayer

1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' 4For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" -Luke 18:1-8

In Luke 18 Jesus tells a parable of a widow and her persistence in coming before a judge to demand justice for herself. Eventually the judge relents and grants her justice, not because he was persuaded by her argument or because he was moved with compassion, rather it was because she was wearing him down and he was beginning to get annoyed. Jesus remarks that if such a widow can wear down an unjust judge with her persistence then how much more will God, who is loving and merciful, grant justice to those who cry out day and night. Ultimately this parable is a lesson in persistent prayer and how our prayer should go up to God day and night. 

Sometimes people will ask what is the point of prayer if God already knows what we need, what we want, and what we will ask, even before we do so? The answer, I believe, is multifaceted. In part our prayer, particularly our persistent prayer, is a way in which we show God the faith and trust we hold along with deepening that faith and trust as we not only speak to, but also listen to God. If communication is a two way street then prayer is not just our talking to God, but our listening to God in the midst of life's joys and sorrows. There is the possibility that in God’s response to our petitions God is giving us an answer or a next step regarding the issue or need at hand. In some instances God’s response may even include a command to help be the answer to our prayer. Thus our prayer becomes the element of our transformation into the hands and feet of Jesus, not only bringing the prayers of the world before God, but becoming God’s response to our own and our neighbor’s prayers. 

Our persistence in prayer is important for our relationship with God, but it also becomes important in living out our faith. In our persistence not only the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts, but also the work of our hands and the steps of our feet become our prayers and a part of God’s answer. 

May you pray with such persistence that you become open to the Holy Spirit turning your prayers into action, all for the sake of God’s Kingdom. 

-Pastor Brian