Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

From the time we're born we begin to learn. Some things we learn quickly and others take years to accomplish. One of the biggest barriers to learning can be whether we're willing to persist, or whether we give up far too early and try something else. But it can takes years to learn some skills - like playing the piano!

In the Parable of Unjust Judge Jesus teaches us that we need to persist in our prayer. The theologian Barclay suggests that not only was the judge ungodly both as a man and a judge, but that he would not have been a Jewish judge because disputes were brought before the elders. He argues that "This judge was one of the paid magistrates appointed by Herod or the Romans". Such judges were notorious. Yet because of the widow's persistence that she needs justice against another person, he grants her that in the end.

Just as it is hard work to learn many things in this life, and can take much time and patience, so it is with prayer. Often we approach it lightly, we lose heart and give up, or are not convinced that prayer works. Jesus says that prayer is hard work. Instead of giving up we are to continue always, and if God doesn't seem to answer we are to accept that this may be to allow us time to change. Persistence in prayer changes us, transforming us into the person God would have us be. We should also remember that unlike the Unjust Judge, God loves us and has our best in mind.

Father God,
teach us about prayer
and about praying constantly.
Teach us to continue
when we lose heart.
and to listen to Your voice.
Teach us to grow in faith as
we grow closer to You,
and to persist at all times
as You mould us into the
people You would have us be.
Amen.