Luke 18:1–8 (ESV)
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 And
he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying,
‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat
me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to
them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Part of understanding this parable is verse one where Jesus tells the “they ought always to pray and not
lose heart. Could you imagine having a friend, but never talking to them? Could you imagine having a spouse and not talking to them. To some... this may sound like a dream... but that is not how God intended us to behave in marriage.
We are to talk to friends, spouses, ... to all people... especially God. Talking to God is prayer.
Jesus tells us in the form of a parable about a Judge who “neither feared God nor respected
man.” Could it be that this judge considers himself God, because he neither cares about the God above and he places himself above everyone else. Now steps in a widow who demands justice. The judge ignores her, but it is her persistency
that counts. The Lutheran Study Bible states that “God is not an unrighteous judge. But if even an unrighteous man will give justice to the persistent, how much more will our righteous God do so?” This is the application of this parable.
I pray: O Lord, I know you are a righteous Judge and you are always listening to me. Help me to be bold and persistent in my prayer and willing to listen for your answers. Amen.