I was reading Luke last night and saw two passages in a new light. Or, at least, they hit me differently than they had before.
In Luke 18, Jesus was giving a parable concerning prayer. The introductory verses are critical to understanding the rest of the parable and, indeed, to understand how prayer works: it’s on God’s timetable, not ours.
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart…. –Luke 18:1.
Right away, God tells us through Luke that we need to pray and keep on praying and not to lose heart. How many times have we prayed for something and it seems God isn’t listening?
Jesus now continues in verse 2:
“In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” — Luke 18:2-8.
The picture here is that this helpless widow begs justice from this unrighteous judge. It’s as if she parks herself on his doorstep so that he cannot avoid her. It’s persistence!
But note in Jesus’ response: does it give any indication of when? Does it give any indication that the justice would be brought about on any other time-table but God’s?
Another parable is found earlier in Luke. It comes right after Jesus gives the disciples the Lord’s Prayer.
Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’.” –Luke 11:5-6.
In Jesus’ time, people traveled during the day. When it would get dark, they would find the nearest home and ask the family to shelter them for the night. It was common practice. So in this parable, the traveler is known to the man of the house and evidently, pushed on and traveled late into the night. He did not have anything prepared for his guest so he goes next door to his neighbor to ask him. Typically whatever food you made for that day you ate. You didn’t keep it as left-overs since it would spoil.
“…and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’” –Luke 11:7.
The people of that time would sleep around the stove in the middle of the house to keep warm. It’s the same stove they use for cooking. What is happening here is that the neighbor is saying that his door is closed and locked–it would be open during the day, but at night it’s locked to protect themselves–and all of his family is asleep together. If he gets up to to get him something, he’s going to wake up his children and being a good father, he doesn’t want to do that.
Jesus continues the parable:
“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and given him as much as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” –Luke 11:8-9.
Jesus is saying that not only do we need to ask, seek and knock, but we need to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking! In other words, don’t give up. Don’t lose heart!
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. (emphasis mine)
Again, keep in mind that God is not at our beck and call. God is sovereign. We need to pray humbly and with a heart that realizes that no matter what we think we need, God knows all. God, our Heavenly Father, knows all of our needs before we ask Him. We need to praying with that in mind and with God’s will at the forefront of our petitions.
Remember, Christ Himself prayed in such a way in the Garden. Jesus, the night before He went to the cross, prayed to the Father for another way but the cross to save us from sin. But Jesus, each time ended His prayer with “Your will be done.”
May He Increase!
“Jesus is saying that not only do we need to ask, seek and knock, but we need to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking! In other words, don’t give up. Don’t lose heart!”
I really like this Joe. I heard a preacher say that we need to throw rocks at God’s door. That caught my attention the way he said it……but this is what he mean’t.
My heart went out to Will with his last post about his father. I know prayer is important and the Lord works in ways that we can not imagine. When a loved one passes and we are uncertain about their standing before the Lord……….we should always remember that we prayed for them and the Lord desires everyone to be saved. And as you have stated here….He is sovereign!
Ike,
It was definitely something God was trying to tell me. My prayer life needs to improve. It’s not just something we do from time-to-time, we need to do it without ceasing. It’s about connecting with the one relationship that we so desperately need!
I just saw Will’s post about his dad. I’m going to also link to it on Friday. I, too, have wrestled with that subject.