On various occasions, Jesus imparted valuable lessons
to his disciples about prayer and its significance. In Matthew 6:5-8, he
advised, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your
Father who is unseen...” In Matthew 6:9-13, he emphasized our relationship
with a Heavenly Father. In Luke 18:9-14, he taught us the attitude to embrace
when approaching God in prayer. Regardless of the form of prayer we engage
in—be it adoration, praise and worship, petition prayers, or thanksgiving—we
must remember that it is all about nurturing our relationship with God.
In this Gospel according to Luke, Jesus’s teaching
centers on the importance of persevering in prayer. He does this by sharing a
parable: “In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor
respected any human being. And in that town, there was a widow who came to him,
saying, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.” At the end of
the parable, Jesus advises his disciples, “Pay attention to what the dishonest
judge says.”
Let's reflect on the character of this dishonest judge. His behavior is quite peculiar, as he neither feared
God nor had regard for any human. He could be likened to a tyrant. Faced with
the persistence of the widow, this judge internally reasons, “I shall
deliver a just decision for her, lest she finally comes and strikes me.” He
responds to the widow's request out of fear and to avoid her constant
disturbance. Jesus concludes the parable with a question and an answer: “Will
not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and
night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that
justice is done for them speedily.” How comforting it is to have the
assurance that God will promptly answer our prayers!
Acknowledging our human frailty: Jesus uses the image of a widow to further illustrate
our relationship with God. In his time, widows (and even in some societies
today) were among the most vulnerable individuals, often subjected to
humiliation and persecution. Persevering in prayer, akin to the determination
of this widow, means recognizing before God our vulnerability, our sufferings,
and our need for salvation. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, “Trust in the Lord with
all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to
him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Our ability to persevere in prayer is occasionally
challenged by poor time management, overwhelming daily activities, periods of
spiritual desertion, or the temptation to give up. Jesus reassures us that God
will swiftly answer our prayers! We believe in His word as truth and eternal.
It is crucial to accept that His timing and His will are always best.
Allowing His Spirit to pray within us: Persevering in prayer becomes attainable when we
permit the Spirit of God to intercede on our behalf. Galatians 6:4 states, “And
because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying
out 'Abba Father.” Indeed, the Spirit of God comprehends our genuine needs
and knows how to present them to God. Similarly, Romans 8:26 affirms, “...the
Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but
the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.” If
our prayers are not always answered, it could be because what we are asking for
may not align with what God intends for us. Garth Brooks, in his song, talks
about unanswered prayers. It's evident that someday, we will thank God for
prayers that went unanswered.
Living a life of faith is inconceivable without
perseverance, and we cannot persevere in faith without a life of prayer. These
three facets of our existence are intricately connected. We must always bear in
mind that God truly loves us and cares for us as His beloved children.
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