Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told the story of a widow who kept bothering a judge. The judge had no regard for her needs, but because she continued to persist he finally granted her request just so she wouldn’t wear him out with her coming. What is the message of this brief parable? Luke says, “Jesus told his disciples this parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
There is a place for godly persistence in prayer. If an uncaring judge will answer the plea of a widow because of her persistence, how much more will God, a caring Father, grant the entreaties of the children whom He loves. “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”
Jacob wrestled all night with God for the fulfillment of a promise God had given him twenty years earlier. What are the promises we have received from the Lord, either through His Word or through His revelation to us that agrees with His Word? Stand strong until the answer comes!
Isaiah says to those “who call on the Lord, ‘Give yourselves no rest and give God no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.'” Give yourselves no rest! Give God no rest! Keep bothering Him! Wear Him out with your coming! Why? Not because God is reluctant to answer our prayers, but because He wants the increase of our fervency.
When we are confident that our prayers are consistent with His heart then we must persevere until the answer comes!
Blessings,
Don Finto
My persistent prayer for 2014 is that the promises of Isaiah 61 will come to pass for the "brokenhearted ones" – they will have beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness, double honor instead of shame.