Luke 18: 1 - 8

Luke 18: 1 - 8

What gets in the way of a faith so strong that it compels us to pray? Jesus asked if when the Son of Man comes would He find the kind of faith that compels disciples to pray the way the persistent widow prayed to the unjust judge? Why do we not pray with the same kind of passion and energy that this widow had for her cause? She was so aggressive that she was “wearing out” the judge. The phrase literally means “hit me under the eye”. She was giving him a black eye. This phrase was used for boxing in the literal sense. Her persistence was beating him down. Why don't we pray that way?

The answer is not so much in the character of the widow, while that is important, as in her situation. Roman judges were notoriously corrupt. For them a case was an opportunity for profit and kickback. This widow was in a hopeless situation. She was without the resources to bribe the judge and she was desperate. There was only one solution for her, only one option, only one way to get help, only one way to get the judge to act.

The reason we do not pray is because we believe we have other options. Why plead for daily bread when we have a cupboard full with a week's groceries? Why passionately pray for forgiveness and a heart of repentance when we have other ways to soothe our conscience? Why beg for the Kingdom to come when we enjoy our own little empire of self?

Jesus asked if He would find the kind of faith that inspires passionate persistent prayer when He comes. There are two questions that we must ask ourselves to understand our passion for prayer. First do we believe that prayer is at the core of all change, and without it nothing meaningful will happen? Second, do we want to see change or are we content with the status quo? Until I passionately want Jesus's will and realize it can only begin with prayer I will not pray passionately.

“Lord, forgive us of our shallow, faithless prayers. Bring about change and let it begin with me. AMEN”