Persistent Prayer

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5yet 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!’”

6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I 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?”

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I have always wanted to be the one who never gave up praying for someone. I grew up hearing stories about how men's lives were changed by the women (usually their mothers or wives) prayed for them and never gave up on them. This was my endeavor, not just for the man God will bring along side me, but for all people, friends, family, enemies, those who hurt me, those who are hurting (and maybe don't even realize it). Because of my brokenness, I realize that there is a great need for prayer, and for the Saving One, Jesus, for the work of the Holy Spirit. We all need a revival, and I realize now, that these times of renewal an revival do not always come at little cost to us. Sometimes it is not a decision that we make, but what happens to us that tells us that we, in our lives, need to be revived from the death of sin. Not everyone we care about catches the same wind, but we can be persistent in our prayers for them, and for ourselves. In the words of Pastor Bill Johnson, "Anyone can pray in crisis. Show me someone who will earnestly pray without a crisis and I will show you someone who is ready if one comes."

In the words of Jesus, "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? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly."

There is nothing we can do to be saved, to be changed, to be the people we want to be (as Christians), except to call upon Jesus' name. I see a pattern emerging, especially from the young men and young adults of my generation. We feel like we must work for it, and therefore feel as if we have not measured up, and thus give in to mediocrity and possibly give up entirely. Remember that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

I am praying for you today.