And He spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God,
neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city;
and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself,
Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge His own elect,
which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,
shall He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:1-8
Jesus spoke these words at the very beginning of the parable:
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
He wanted us to see the example of the widow who would not give up
She kept asking and pleading and believing
that she would receive an answer
Jesus wanted us to notice her,
not the Judge, the Judge was an unbelieving Judge
The Judge was similar to when Jesus talked of the parents
who gave their children what they needed in the Sermon on the Mount:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven
give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:7-11
Jesus was letting us know there would be times
when it felt like He delays His answers to us,
times that it feels like He didn’t hear and isn’t listening
That time is coming and may already be here for some of us
Listen to what Jesus said at the end of the parable:
…And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge His own elect,
which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. ..
that seems to mean, all of a sudden
In other words, though it feels like He is not hearing or answering your prayers, keep asking, seeking, knocking…
He has not forgotten you, He will still come through for you
The last thought in that parable was a question:
“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?”
Don’t stop believing
Seek
Ask
Knock
Knowing Jesus is hearing you
Let your faith be strong,
knowing He will do what He said He will do and promised
You can count on Jesus more than an unjust Judge
and even more than your own parents
Let Him find faith when He returns to the Earth