GOD’S WORD DAILY
PRAYERS OF FAITH
When Jesus Christ comes back, will he find faith on the earth? It seems in the following parable, Jesus was trying to get people to acknowledge lack of faith in prayers to God and help them overcome the adversary, by using their God given spiritual authority, in faith and by prayer, without becoming weary.
Luke 18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
This widow demanded the unjust judge to vindicate her from her adversary. She did not snivel and whine and grovel at the judge's' feet. She did not go to him in a wishy-washy manner without strength or backbone. She did NOT say, "If you can... if you will...er, ah, if you wouldn't mind, do you think that maybe... er, ahh, ... you will you avenge me of my adversary?" NO! She went up to the judge with boldness and authority and SAID, "Avenge me of my adversary."
She demanded he help. She knew what she wanted. She TOLD him what she wanted. She spoke the result she wanted to have. She wanted vindication, deliverance. She wanted her adversary to be punished. She boldly said what she wanted. She went to the judge for help knowing he could provide her the help she needed. She expected he would grant her what she wanted, otherwise she would not have gone before the judge to get it in the first place.
At times, I was tempted to withhold favor from authoritative, bold people when I had the power to give. I wanted to be in charge. At that time, I did not respect them, or care if it was a Christ-like attitude. Perhaps that's how the unjust judge responded to the widow woman at first. But he did not withhold this woman's blessing for very long.
4 And he would not for a while:
The word for a while is a general term for time. It can mean a long while or a short while. Because of the context of this verse, I believe it's a short while. I think while he was thinking about the woman's demand, at first, he would not give her what she came for because he did not fear God or respect her. But afterwards, after he thought about it for a little while, he decided to go ahead and give it to her.
but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
This judge did not revere God or respect people. He cared about himself. He did not want this authoritative, bold woman coming back over and over again to bother and annoy him about this issue. He did not want the woman to come back and bother him! He gave her what she wanted. She did not need to come back and ask for his help about this particular issue ever again.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
The unjust judge granted the woman what she wanted not because he cared, but because he did not want to be annoyed at her coming back to him again. Our God is just. He does care. If the unjust judge would grant the woman what she wanted, quickly, will not our God do the same thing for you and me because HE DOES CARE?
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them (have patience with them)?8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Will God answer his people in a timely fashion, even though He has to put up with us crying unto Him over and over? Of course, He will. He loves us. We are His called out and His chosen people.
Why do we have to keep pleading our case to God over and over again in our prayers? God heard us the first time we told Him our need. He said he will avenge us speedily. He said he heard us in the day of our trouble. Not fainting in our prayers does not mean to pray the same thing over and over and over again. It means hold fast to the promise until you receive your deliverance.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.
If you believe you will receive it when you prayed the first time, then you do not need to keep repeating it. We pray always, yes. We pray without ceasing. We do not have to pray the same vain, repetitious prayer over and over thinking we will be heard because of our much speaking.
As a parent, I was bothered when my small child kept pestering me about being hungry or thirsty. Any adult knows that a loving parent will provide for the child as soon as possible. An older child who has not been continually let down by his parents will begin to trust that his parents will give him what he needs as soon as it can be arranged. We just need to trust God will bring it to pass shortly and faint not in our faith that He will do as He promised.
Amen.
-Carol Kenreigh
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c. 2001 Carol Kenreigh All rights reserved.