Meghan Kazmann

Luke 18: 1-8 NIV

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Reflection:

Recently my daughter decided to throw a party upstairs. Her handwritten invitation read, “You are invited to a Party! Upstairs in the game room. 1:05 p.m. SHARP. Don’t be late.” Ahh, how cute! Also, so annoying! It’s 12:55 and I have a million chores to complete, not to mention, this devotional that is already two weeks past its deadline. I explained that I simply did not have time to attend her party and forgot about it. Ten minutes later she handed me the same invitation with 1:05 scratched out and rewritten to 1:15 SHARP.  Again, I ignored her. The invitation was eventually rescheduled 2 more times until I finally decided I would have to attend this party for it to go away. I walked upstairs, embraced the mess and played a few games (that were actually really fun). We all eventually walked away happy and fulfilled. 

In the parable of the Persistent Widow, Jesus describes an ungodly and unfriendly judge that finally gives in to a widow’s persistent request for justice. In these times widows were marginalized outcasts with little-to-no resources. This widow knew that as unpleasant as this judge might be, he was her only way of seeking justice. Giving up was not an option. Is Jesus trying to tell us that if we annoy God, he will eventually give in? I think this parable is telling us the opposite. Unlike this judge, God wants us to pursue him. God listens to and desires justice for us, whether it be today, tomorrow, or in eternity. God is our defender. If this indifferent judge will give one of society’s outcasts justice, think of what our Heavenly Father will do for us! But what does this have to do with faith?

In verse 8 Jesus says that God’s people will “see that they get justice, and quickly.”  I think it’s fair to say that many of us have prayed unceasingly and are still waiting for our quick justice. When God isn’t working fast enough for us we try to fix our own problems.  This is not faith. Faith is a hope that endures even when there is no end in sight. Our faith through persistent prayer can lead us to open doors that we could have never imagined to ask for in the first place. God can do more than our preconceived ideas and time frames could even think to ask Him.  When we pray unceasingly and have persistent faith, we are acknowledging that Jesus is the way we will achieve our justice.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for being my Ultimate Defender.  Please help me to be patient in tribulation and persistent in prayer.  As I wait for my prayers to be answered, remind me of the widow who, against all odds, never gave up.  Remind me, Lord, that my worry ends where my faith begins. Amen.