Luk 18:1 And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
I have been reading and re-reading this verse quite a bit these last couple of weeks. It started because I was beginning to feel that I “lost heart” in particular areas of my life. So, I did a search on the word “heart,” looking for what I could do to make sure I was protecting my heart from bitterness. I came across this verse and I haven’t been able to move away from it.
Needless to say, it led me to read the parable that Jesus told His disciples after saying this. It’s a pretty familiar story.
Luk 18:2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
Luk 18:4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
Luk 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Luk 18:2-8 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Jesus tells us very clearly (verse 6) to pay careful attention to what the unrighteous judge says. There is a particular emphasis on the fact that the man in the parable is unrighteous. (repeated 3 times that he doesn’t care about what others – or God – think about him) And Jesus concludes it by saying, “Will not GOD give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them?”
Anyway, He seems to be hitting at the root of a person who begins to lose heart and stop praying. They wonder if God will really respond. What Jesus picks up on is that that question is really a questioning of the character of God. And He affirms very clearly that God WILL respond.
The “nevertheless” in the last verse is a little haunting. In this section of scripture, and in others, faith is closely associated with praying. So, another way to word the last verse is,
“Even though God IS good, and He WILL respond to those who call out to Him…when I return WILL I find those that are still believing this and praying?”
May He find us continuing to believe and pray.
Blessing Nations 
Leave a reply to Mike Buck Cancel reply