To be persistent means to continue unceasingly and continuously. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray continually. In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable that shows us what persistence can do.
Luke 18:1-8 (NIV):
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
This parable illustrates the need for persistence in prayer. Interestingly enough, Jesus chose two unlikely characters for this parable: a poor, widowed woman, and a corrupt judge. These characters hardly seem like the proper comparison for describing our relationship with God, but Jesus wants us to focus upon several important contrasts in this story:
1. The widow had to go to a corrupt judge…. We can go to our heavenly Father.
- Ephesians 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
2. The widow was a stranger…. We are God’s children.
- John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
3. The widow had no access to the judge…. We have constant access to God.
- Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (read Hebrews 10:19-23).
4. The widow came to the court of law…. We come to a throne of grace.
- Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
5. The widow had no lawyer…. We have Jesus as our advocate.
- 1 John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
6. The widow had to wear down the judge before he really listened…. We already know that God hears our requests.
- Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
If this poor woman received what she deserved from a corrupt judge, how much more will we receive from our loving heavenly Father? As Jesus illustrated, persistence pays off so keep on praying!