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PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT WIDOW – RIGHT TO PRAY
LORD’S DAY, JUNE 28 MORNING
Luke 18:1-8

Memory verse: Luke 18:4-5

 

“…I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming

she weary me.”

 

PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT WIDOW – RIGHT TO PRAY
 
The Parable of the Persistent Widow begins with Christ teaching His disciples “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Christians cannot study the Bible without ceasing, as their minds cannot concentrate after a while. But all believers can pray without ceasing. Thus, the command is to pray always.
 
What gives us the right to approach God and pray to Him? Why would God accept believers and hear their prayers? Believers are citizens of heaven with Christ as their Judge. They have a right to approach the Judge and ask for help like the widow in the parable. The judge was responsible for handling cases of injustice committed in that city.
 
Widows were the most vulnerable at that time. Perhaps they were even more vulnerable than young orphans. Young orphans might be helped and adopted by others, or they might be pitied when they suffered because of their young age. But widows were ignored and might even be blamed for their widowhood. A widow pleaded to the judge of the city for revenge because her adversary had taken advantage of her. The judge did not fear God. Therefore, the judge would not help her since he was not afraid of God. He also did not care what man thought of him. What he was most concerned with was the widow’s continual coming. Her persistent plea for help against her adversary wearied him. As a widow, she had no one to turn to except him. Her adversary would not stop bothering her. The judge was her only hope of deliverance. The judge knew she would never stop until he listened and helped her.
 
For this self-interest reason and to stop the widow from bothering him further and tiring him out, he helped her and stopped the adversary from bullying her. Persistence can soften a hardened heart, just as a stream of continuous water droplets can wear down solid rock.
 
All believers have the right in Christ to approach God in prayer. If this uncaring judge would help her, how much more would God, the loving and caring Judge, help all His children when they cry to Him?
 
THOUGHT: Do I have the right to pray to God?

PRAYER: Father, may I be persistent in my prayers.

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