Jesus asked, “Will not God bring about justice for His children who cry to Him day and night?” Luke 18:7
In teaching about prayer, Jesus told a parable about a poor, powerless person (the widow) who persists in nagging a corrupt, powerful person (the judge) to do justice for her. The purpose of the parable is to encourage Christians to continue in prayer. It might look from the first reading that there are three main characters in this story - the poor widow, an adversary who had done injustice to the widow and a corrupt judge. All odds are here against the poor widow, who does not have a voice. Well, not so. There is a fourth character, God, the just and merciful judge. This parable is about a God who will bring about justice to all who are in need. Our confidence when we pray is in a God who is in control, who will bring about justice to those who cry day and night.
We meet an extraordinary woman here who refuses to accept her fate. She voices opposition to injustice without relenting. She has been referred with many names by Bible teachers like 'the persistent widow', 'the importunate widow' (importunate means being persistent, especially to the point of annoyance or intrusion, shameless persistence eg. Importunate creditors) Persistence is when someone continues in an action to the point of annoyance or intrustion or shamelessness. As a result of her persistence, even the unjust judge is prompted to act. If even an unjust judge can be moved to grant justice, then imagine how much God desires to help those who are wronged. God looks upon the suffering, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow with deep concern for their situation. It teaches the lesson that God responds to situations through people like you and me.
The image of God wanting justice gives me hope as we think of the billions in Asia affected by the Covid-19, where people are dying from poverty, war and civil unrest. More than 300,000 people have died in the past as a result of civil unrest in Africa, 200,000 lost lives in Syria many died in the massive migration from the middle east to Europe and the west. It is probably the worst time in history in humanitarian crisis. Even in more stable countries, violence and hatred take the lives of innocent citizens. While we may easily get overwhelmed and feel discouraged, we can draw strength from our God who does not forget any of these places. The cries of people around the world do not go unheard. This parable encourages Christians to unrelentingly pray, demonstrate, and call for peace with justice on behalf of our brothers and sisters everywhere.
We need to constantly remind ourselves that God’s will is at work even in a corrupt world. Some of us may be confused with the choices we have and many are frustrated. We cannot right every wrong in the world in our lifetimes. But we must never give up hope, and never stop working for the greater good in the midst of the imperfect systems. Legislators, and church leaders for example, generally do not have a choice of voting for a good bill versus a bad policy. Usually the best they can do is to vote for laws that do more good than bad. But they must continually look for opportunities to bring bills to a vote that do even less harm and even more good. It is our civic duty as well as people of faith and conviction to use our right to exercise our vote in the elections as well and never give up.
We are in a fallen world. Only God can bring about justice in this corrupt world. That is why we must pray and not give up in our work. God can bring miraculous justice in a corrupt world, just as God can bring miraculous healing in a sick world. We saw the Berlin wall crumbled, the apartheid removed, civil and minority rights are restored in many parts around the world, in some cases, peace breaks out also. In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus indicates that God is the unseen actor. “Will not God grant justice for his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?” (Luke 18:7).
The Bible teaches us that God gives the harvest and our job is just gardening. We plant and expect them to grow. But some dry off and some grow, and we do not know why. "Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:7). When Mother Teresa was asked why she would continue to pick up the dying aids patients and dying children from the streets of Calcutta when more than half of them died in six months she said, “humans have a right to die in a place of love”. She said “None of us can do anything great on our own, but we can all do a small thing with great love”
"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all." (Galatians 6:9, 10). So is with prayer. Let us not grow weary of praying. A Christian speaker asked a group of college students, why do you think people don’t want to pray? A young man's answer was interesting "Non-Christians don’t pray, because they’re afraid God is there. Christians don’t pray because they’re afraid God is not there."
Why does God want us to pray? It is not for God to keep a list of to-do things and wants to be reminded about your request. Prayer is not just asking God a bunch of things, it is a need for our own souls. Prayer strengthens our souls; it connects our life with God. Jesus prayed and he taught people how to pray. The reason for our prayer is to acknowledge our own weak and helpless condition, and acknowledge the all sufficiency of God.
E. Stanley Jones, the great missionary to India in our time, said about prayer: "Prayer is surrender-surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boat hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God." Prayer is the rope that pulls us toward God. Through prayers, we will be drawn more towards God. It is the almighty God’s will working in our life.
A woman writes, "I had been praying for my brother to return to the Lord. When he died suddenly, it seemed as though my same old prayer had failed him. I was stunned. What had been the purpose in my praying for him? What difference did my faith even make? Shortly after my brother's death, his son been hospitalized for depression. I tried to encourage my nephew by letter, explaining how my relationship with Christ had sustained me through various difficulties in my life. Then, as I continued to write about trusting Jesus, I made up my mind that I was going to trust the promises of God. We may not always see or understand the answer, but we can be sure that God does answer. Recently, my nephew received Christ as his Savior. I believe it had something to do with another "same old prayer,"
We delight in giving good things to our own children. How wonderful it is to realize that our heavenly father is so much more giving, loving, and wise,in spite of our sinful nature. He gives us much better than we deserve. So do not get tired of praying.
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