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

"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet 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!'"

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 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? I 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?" (Luke 18:1-8 NIV)

The goal in life is simple: It is to do the will of God. The teaching of the Word of God clearly reveals that prayer is part of the will of God, and prayer opens the door for the believer to walk in the fullness of the will of God.

Prayer is a necessity. Jesus realized that even his own disciples were tempted to give up in prayer. He told them this parable so that they would always pray and not give up.

There are two characters in this parable. First, there is a judge who is wicked and hard hearted. He does not fear God or man. He has no regard for the welfare of his people. This judge concerns himself with own comforts.

Secondly, there is a widow who is engaged in a battle. She has an adversary, and she needs justice. This widow persisted in her request to the wicked judge. She was shameless in her approach to him for justice. She did not care what he thought, or what others thought. She was focused solely on the need for justice from her adversary. She possessed a desire for victory that refused to be denied.

Finally, the judge grew weary of the widow coming to him. He had no compassion in his heart for her plight, yet he was tired of being bothered by her. So just to get rid of her, he grants her request. The judge saw that this woman would keep coming, and keep coming, so he granted her request out of the selfish desire to be rid of her.

Jesus admonished us to listen to what the unjust judge said. The judge's heart was wrong, yet he did right out of a selfish desire. This widow's godly desire was granted by a wicked man with selfish motivation.

God is showing here that through the power of persistent prayer, he will bend the desire of the wicked to do the will of God on behalf of the righteous.

Then Jesus tells us that that God will bring about justice for his children who cry to him day and night. He will not delay, he will bring justice quickly. If the wicked judge will grant the request of the persistent righteous widow, how much more will God grant the request of the righteous one who cries out to him.

There is a sober ending to this parable. The question is asked, When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

Come before God in persistent, believing prayer. Come before God full of faith and the Word of God, knowing that God will not refuse the one who always prays and does not give up.

What has God put in your heart in the past, but yet along the way you stopped praying for it to come to pass? Somewhere along the way your faith waned. The intensity of your prayer withered.

Let this be the day that your rise up in believing prayer. Today commit yourself to see the fullness of the will of God accomplished in your life. Always pray, don't give up.

Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org