Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Parables – The Persistent Widow – Luke 18:1-8 – Growing As Disciples
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “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.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 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? 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?” Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)
Imagine That
What do you want from me? What are you willing to continue to ask of me day and night? What will you continue to persevere in prayer for until you have an answer from me? I’m not hearing a very quick answer from you. I know, I’m thinking. Doesn’t something jump out to you right away? It’s not that I can’t think of anything. I’m not sure of what’s worthy of bringing to you night and day. Don’t tell me that you don’t want to bother me with small stuff. I was about to. That would be a mistake. Why is that? Your prayers are never a bother to me. I delight to hear all your prayers, both the large ones and the ones you consider to be the small ones. There is something that I want you to know. What’s that? There is no such thing as a small and unimportant prayer request. Why is that? Think back over your life for a second. What very small seemingly insignificant events changed the course of your life? Do you have any in mind? Yes, I do. Would you ever have been able to predict, in advance, which insignificant detail was going to change the course of your life? No, I wouldn’t. So, what does that tell you? It tells me that I should bring all my prayer requests to you, even ones I consider to be insignificant. Yes, that’s right.
There are a couple of things that I want you to know about being persistent in prayer. What’s that? Your persistence in prayer tells me something about your prayer. What’s that? It tells me that you are serious about it. When you pray a “one and done” prayer how important is that prayer to you? Not very, I suppose. Yes, there have been times that you have prayed a prayer and not even remembered that you prayed it. I’m sure that is true. It is. Do you know what else your persistence in prayer tells me? What’s that? It tells me that you have faith in me. Otherwise, you would stop praying. Yes, I would. You believe that I will hear and answer your prayers. Yes, I do.
Since you are having a hard time remembering your persistent prayers, at this moment, let me tell you what I am regularly hearing from you. Alright, go ahead. You are persistently praying that you will know and love me. Yes, I am. Do you think this prayer is being answered as you persist in prayer with me? Yes, I do. You have been praying that I will use you so that you will bear abundant fruit for me. Yes, I have. Is this persistent prayer being answered for you? Yes, it is. You have been asking me to mold and shape you into the person that I want you to become. That’s right. Are you being transformed as you persist in prayer with me? Yes Father, I am.
So, what are you thinking about persistent prayer right now? I’m so thankful for your invitation to come and persist in prayer with you. You are answering my prayers beyond what I could have possibly imagined. Yes, I am.
Heavenly Father, thank you for inviting me to come and bring all my prayers to you. Help me to persist in prayer with you. Mold and shape my life and grow my faith and trust in you as I await your answers to my persistent prayers. Amen
Key Question… What has your Heavenly Father been able to do in your life as you have persisted in prayer with Him?
Living It Out… Accept the invitation from your Heavenly Father to persist in prayer with Him.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your Heavenly Father is inviting you to persist in prayer with Him.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group the prayers that you are persistently praying to your Heavenly Father.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you be persistent in the prayers you pray to your Heavenly Father.
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