1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: 2“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect men, 5yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. 7Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? 8I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Thoughts: We have lived in a very instant time. We have traveled fast on our machines (cars, boats, truck, motorcycles) to wherever we want on decent roads (much better than most countries). We have microwaves and air-fryers to make things heat up instantly. We go to grocery stores that have our meat, dairy, produce, and sometimes toilet paper and medicine together to save time. We can order with next day delivery- even on Sunday, Easter or Christmas. We can text, email, facetime and get instant access. We don't understand smoke signals, stagecoach, and those who have to walk ten miles to get water.
All of a sudden we must slow down. No one predicted this four months ago. No futurist saw it. There were movies- "Contagion" and "The Ship" but what they don't say is how people hunker down for weeks and months on seemingly cold-syrup-drip time. We have forgotten Sabbath, and have forgotten what it is like to wait on the Lord or have to persist in prayer.
All of a sudden we must slow down. No one predicted this four months ago. No futurist saw it. There were movies- "Contagion" and "The Ship" but what they don't say is how people hunker down for weeks and months on seemingly cold-syrup-drip time. We have forgotten Sabbath, and have forgotten what it is like to wait on the Lord or have to persist in prayer.
This parable from Luke 18 about the persistent widow is really a lesson on not giving up in prayer; and not giving up on God. Persistence and perseverance are things Jesus taught us by example and by words. When others give up shortly we are put here to hold the line in prayer.
Today I went to Walmart to the pick up line. That in itself was amazing. It took 4 weeks to get this appointment. When I and my dog drove up to the pickup rendezvous point my app that said my order was waiting all of a sudden said my order "had been cancelled." I went ballistic. The Walmart guy carrying groceries out to people said I needed to leave my dog and go inside. I went inside- one manager said I needed to talk to a specific manager who wasn't there and six people were in six-feet-apart-socially-distanced-lines to see him ahead of me. So I gave up. As I was leaving another employee said, "Sir I saw what happened. I am sorry. I'll call a manager." I had prospects of relief- but... no manager after five minutes. Started back to the car where the original Walmart guy said, "Is the name Sloan?" He said, give me three minutes. He went in- got the order and came back. He said, "Someone pushed the wrong button." I was so happy! I still could not have shopped and gathered it any faster than I waited. You would think I have learned patience. I am afraid I have learned that "I should be patient" which is different. I was only persistent because one person after another stopped or steered me. Prayer may feel like it is successful then irrelevant; breaking through then bouncing off the ceiling. Jesus said to not give up- and so, reluctantly I will try for this impatient person to be patient.
This corona-virus time is making us wait, making us either give up or persevere. It is so hard in any society- but especially an instant society to wait on the Lord, to practice Sabbath, to pray with persistence. But perhaps God is teaching us that.
Today I went to Walmart to the pick up line. That in itself was amazing. It took 4 weeks to get this appointment. When I and my dog drove up to the pickup rendezvous point my app that said my order was waiting all of a sudden said my order "had been cancelled." I went ballistic. The Walmart guy carrying groceries out to people said I needed to leave my dog and go inside. I went inside- one manager said I needed to talk to a specific manager who wasn't there and six people were in six-feet-apart-socially-distanced-lines to see him ahead of me. So I gave up. As I was leaving another employee said, "Sir I saw what happened. I am sorry. I'll call a manager." I had prospects of relief- but... no manager after five minutes. Started back to the car where the original Walmart guy said, "Is the name Sloan?" He said, give me three minutes. He went in- got the order and came back. He said, "Someone pushed the wrong button." I was so happy! I still could not have shopped and gathered it any faster than I waited. You would think I have learned patience. I am afraid I have learned that "I should be patient" which is different. I was only persistent because one person after another stopped or steered me. Prayer may feel like it is successful then irrelevant; breaking through then bouncing off the ceiling. Jesus said to not give up- and so, reluctantly I will try for this impatient person to be patient.
This corona-virus time is making us wait, making us either give up or persevere. It is so hard in any society- but especially an instant society to wait on the Lord, to practice Sabbath, to pray with persistence. But perhaps God is teaching us that.
Prayer: In this time of waiting, when the corona-virus doesn't seem to go away, plateau, or flatten fast enough- help me to be patient and persistent in prayer.
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