Summer and I have been parents since 1998. Our oldest child is now 25. That's hard to believe for us and although we may not look it, we are getting a little older! Well, I may look like I should have a son that age, but Summer definitely doesn't. Being parents of 3 children has it challenges at times. Especially when there is a difference in age like our oldest to youngest (25 and 13).
One of the things that we have definitely learned is the persistence of kids. They do not give up when it's something that they really want. They will bounce back and forth between the two of us to manipulate and get the answer that they want. Even today, our kids have very different conversations with the two of us. When they really want something, they will go to their mom. (Haha) That's because I have this patented phrase that I use when I want to say no, but don't want to say it. I will say, "We'll see". I said that to my youngest one time when she was really little and my oldest leaned over and said, "That means no."
It's funny...no matter what, our children will always continue to ask, because they really do have an expectation of the answer of YES!
Jesus told the parable of the The Persistent Widow in Luke 18. In this parable, he introduces us to a woman that has a problem. She has adversary that she wants some justice from, and daily goes to the judge to demand it. For awhile, the judge refuses to give in, but eventually he gives her what she wants because he is tired of her droning along.
Jesus ends this parable saying that if an unrighteous judge hears and acts with persistence, how should the elect of God proceed in prayer. (paraphrased) He ends this parable by asking, when he returns, will He find such faith?
Persistence and Faith go hand in hand. You see faith is basically what you believe will happen. If you have no expectation that God will answer your prayer, odds are, you won't pray. But Jesus says, that our faith is on display through our prayer life and how we won't give up.
So here are some things we can take away from this parable:
Life is not fair! The parable tells us a widow woman who is looking for justice. She is not a widow because of any action she has done. She is a widow by circumstance. Because of that, she would not hold the rights we consider to be basic. She had no voice in that setting. Because she was a widow, she probably would have been poor and destitute. She had no one that could stand for her in that setting.
Life is not fair, it doesn't always give us what we think it owes us. And that's why Jesus tells us to pray and not lose heart. Because without a life of prayer and the way life is, you could.
Because life is not fair, persist in prayer! The thing that marks this woman for us today is the fact that she did not quit trying to get the answer that she wanted. She kept coming back day after day. Too many times, in our prayer lives, we give up after the first time we pray for something. But persistence in prayer means that you keep praying until you get an answer.
In the book of 1 Kings, we read about the prophet named Elijah. In this particular passage, he is confronted by the death of a woman's son. He goes in and lies on the body and cries out to God 3 separate times, before the boy comes back. Why is the number of times important? Because we need to see that even men and women of God have to persist. None of our prayers are more valuable than the next. But your prayer life will show what you believe in to be the answer for your life.
It doesn’t matter what circumstances and situations may say around your life and how many times people tell you to give up. Hold on with faith that God has an answer. Because He can take the bad to make something amazing work out for you and through you. If you will not give up.
Life is hard, so we persist, because we are the children of God!
Let me say that again, we are the children of God. That's the reason our prayers have power. Because we are family, we can go boldly before the throne of God in absolute faith that He hears and sees our need.
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Confidence comes from our faith! But our faith also gives us the reason to call him Abba Father! Everyone is made in the image of God but not everyone is a Child of God. The difference is the grace factor.
When we have accepted the grace and mercy of the Father, we are given the right to be called children of God. Heirs to the kingdom. If you have not experienced His grace and mercy, know that it is available to all people. All you have to do is call on the name of Jesus, and you shall be saved!
So, understand that although life is not fair, you have an advocate in Jesus. He has given you access to the throne room. You just have to have the faith to boldly ask for what you need.
PJ