Prayer
Today's New Testament reading comes from Luke 18:1-8. Here Jesus tells us a story showing that it is imperative that we pray continually to our Heavenly Father. What Jesus does here is argue from the lesser to the greater. This widow came to the unjust judge to plead her case. She had three strikes against her. First, she was a woman in a culture where women were second-class citizens at best. Second, she was a widow. She didn't have a husband to help her get her case on the docket. All she could do is walk around the outside of the tent (where the makeshift court was held) and shout at the judge and plea for a hearing. Third, being a widow, she would have been 'dirt poor' with no money to bribe the officials to get her case on the docket. But she kept pleading persistently until he gave in.
Now consider the contrast. Here is where Jesus is arguing from the lesser to the greater. First of all, we appear not before an unjust judge, but before our loving Father. The widow had no access to the judge, but God's children have an open access into His presence and may come at any time. (Heb.4:14-16). Second, we appear before God not as strangers, but as His children. Third, this woman was a widow. We are a bride (bride of Christ -Rev.21:2). That's a huge difference. A widow feels all alone; but not so with a bride. Fourth, the widow went alone, but we have an Advocate with the Father ( I John 2:1). Jesus stands right beside us to defend us and be our Mediator. And finally, to get help the widow went to a court of law. We come to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Thus, Jesus makes His point. If this widow, through persistent prayer, gets her needs met by an unjust judge, how much more will our Heavenly Father meet His children's needs when we are in a spirit of prayer throughout the day. Prayer is our "Declaration of DEPENDENCE". We depend on our Heavenly Father to meet our needs daily. And if we don't pray, we'll end up losing heart (18:1); that is, we'll get so discouraged that we will give up and quit. So let's pray, daily, without ceasing, because "men always ought to pray and not lose heart."
Now consider the contrast. Here is where Jesus is arguing from the lesser to the greater. First of all, we appear not before an unjust judge, but before our loving Father. The widow had no access to the judge, but God's children have an open access into His presence and may come at any time. (Heb.4:14-16). Second, we appear before God not as strangers, but as His children. Third, this woman was a widow. We are a bride (bride of Christ -Rev.21:2). That's a huge difference. A widow feels all alone; but not so with a bride. Fourth, the widow went alone, but we have an Advocate with the Father ( I John 2:1). Jesus stands right beside us to defend us and be our Mediator. And finally, to get help the widow went to a court of law. We come to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Thus, Jesus makes His point. If this widow, through persistent prayer, gets her needs met by an unjust judge, how much more will our Heavenly Father meet His children's needs when we are in a spirit of prayer throughout the day. Prayer is our "Declaration of DEPENDENCE". We depend on our Heavenly Father to meet our needs daily. And if we don't pray, we'll end up losing heart (18:1); that is, we'll get so discouraged that we will give up and quit. So let's pray, daily, without ceasing, because "men always ought to pray and not lose heart."
posted by Royce Hendry at
6:19 AM
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