March 18 - Persistence Pays

Luke 18:1-8

I remember as a kid, when I wanted something really bad, I would keep hounding my mother until she gave in. It was a lot of work, pleading and promising to do things for her, but in the long run I got what I wanted. Now, often the thing I was begging for wasn't that important (except to me), but in the moment it was all I could see. Mom knew there was no reasoning with me and so she relented. If it was something big and she told me to ask my father, that usually ended the conversation. I did not want anything bad enough to go that route.

In our reading today, there is a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him, seeking justice. (Luke 18:2-3) This judge kept refusing, but finally she wore him down. He got tired of dealing with her and so he made sure she got justice.

 My mother loved me, and eventually she granted my wishes. This just didn't care for the widow, but he tired of her whining and pleading so he too granted the widow's wishes. This scripture is teaching us that God, who love us so much more than anyone else, wants us to come to Him. He wants us to bother Him and persistently ask Him for what we want.

God will honor patient, persistent, persevering prayer. God will see that we get what we need and often what we want. "Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)

Is there something you are praying for now, something you desperately need answers to? Keep praying and don't give up. God is listening and will hear and respond.