In a parable, Jesus shared the story of a determined widow who exemplified unwavering faith and perseverance. Her relentless pursuit serves as a vivid reminder of the power of prayer.
Let’s Pray,
LORD Father God, we come to You for wisdom, knowledge, and understating; illuminate the scriptures; teach us what You want us to know about You and what we can apply to our lives to walk victoriously with You. Speak to us and teach us Your ways. Show us our sins so we can confess them and renounce all that is not of You in our lives. We love You and thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 18:1–8.
Jesus teaches us such an important lesson, to always pray and not lose heart. Don’t be discouraged, God gives hope to the hopeless; He gives true joy and peace through the trials. Psalm 30:5, says, “For His anger [is but for] a moment, His favor [is for] life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy [comes] in the morning”. He understands our struggles, our humanity and weaknesses. He is not indifferent to our sufferings and sorrows. Jesus was known as a Man of many sorrows.
In a woman’s commentary, the author said; “You see God working through His masterful timing, teaching His children, and building character and virtue in the process of struggle. Every believer is reminded of God’s desire that your petitions come to Him and that He is moved by your suffering and misunderstandings you suffer”.
We read in the scriptures about the unjust judge who did not care about the widow’s plight, her troubles. The judge had no regard for God or God’s laws, but the woman’s persistence moved the unjust judge to grant her justice because this woman was wearing him out with her persistence. She was determined and had unwavering faith to get justice.
As followers of Jesus, we can come to God and cry out day and night. God patiently listens and inclines His ear to His children in hours of trial and suffering; their petitions and pleas move Him. If this lowly widow moves an unjust judge, how much more will a loving and gracious Heavenly Father respond to the cries of His children?
The New Testament Evangelical Women’s Commentary wrote, ” If even unjust judges can be persuaded to give justice in persistent intercession, then certainly God would be faithful to mete out justice. In other words, the kingdom of God will not be shut to those who persistently seek entry according to God’s terms”.
The difficulties of life may discourage one to give up on prayer, but one should continue in prayer until the end.
The widow may have been at a disadvantage but she used her strongest weapon: persistence. She kept coming!
Keep coming to the LORD with your prayers, petitions and pleads. Keep showing up!
“The widow’s persistence reflected faith that her request would be granted someday. Jesus calls on His followers to demonstrate this same kind of faith as they wait for His return“.
Source: John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Lk 18:8.
PRACTICAL WAYS TO CULTIVATE BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD AND SHOWCASE THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST
- Pray Always
- Do not give up
- Keep coming to the Lord
- Cry out day and night
- Worship
- Ask for prayer
- God will not delay it, in His perfect timing
- He will give justice speedily
- Ask God for unwavering faith
- Practice what you learn from the scriptures
- Ponder the scriptures
- Memorize the scriptures
- God keeps His promises
- Stay in fellowship
- Keep showing up
- Repent and get back up
- While waiting, serve the Lord gladly
- Ask the Lord for a servants heart
Let’s Pray,
We can never pray too much; let us keep coming to the Lord with our petitions, supplication, prayers, and pleas. LORD Father God, thank You for Your mighty power, holiness, justice, and righteousness. What a privilege and an honor that we can come to You for guidance and wisdom, and we so desperately need Your grace to carry us through every trial and tribulation that this life brings. Help us keep our eyes and hearts steadfast on You; help us desire to read the Scriptures to memorize and ponder Your words in our hearts so that we may not sin against You. We pray for hearts to be surrendered to You.
We ask that You move mightily in the hearts of Your people, rescue and bring restoration because You are a God of redemption, restore broken families, what the enemy has stolen; please return to us a hundredfold over: when the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Please destroy every plot and plan of the enemy, bring confusion into the enemy’s camp, and let the fire of God fall upon the enemy’s camp. Please deliver us and help us to have true joy knowing that this battle belongs to You; allow us to be still, to trust You, and please let Your grace and mercy carry us through. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. We love You, LORD, and we thank You for Your mighty Victory; we are victorious in Christ Jesus. We plead the Blood of Jesus.
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Awaiting His return,
