Persistence pays

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Persistence pays                         

 Luke 18:2-3 “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.”

Extra Reading: Luke 18:1-8

This parable illustrates the importance of prayer for Christians. In the same way as the widow, Christians should not give up praying to God even when facing indifference and powerful opposition. If an unjust judge will eventually give justice to a painfully persistent widow, then the Lord will surely answer his people’s prayers. We are encouraged to pray and not give up. The problem of evil and suffering and the need for justice would plague Jesus’ followers as they experienced pain and awaited vindication. As we wrestle with these difficulties, we should know that our heavenly Father is listening and understands. Continual prayer would have been a new idea for the Jews, who said that it was best to pray three times a day so as not to weary God. To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping one’s requests constantly before God as lives for Him day by day, believing He will answer.

Living by faith means not giving up. God may delay answering, but His delays always have good reasons. Christians must not be discouraged by God’s delays.  Jesus taught His disciples about persistent prayer. I once saw a T-shirt that reads: “Life is short. Pray hard.” How does a person pray hard? Do not approach prayer like work. Hard work means sweat, fatigue, and muscle strain. Instead, persistent prayer involves faith. Believe God that He has a solution for you. Prayer builds faith. When life is hard, prayer provides a way for you and God to face it together. Through persistence, a contemptuous judge gave a committed widow justice. Are you persistent in seeking answers to your prayers from God?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, sometimes unbelief and lack of persistence affect answers to our prayers. Help us to pray prayers full of faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Rev. Samuel N. Modise

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