Prayers Are Heard

Luke 18: 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?’

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After months of trying, I finally gave up the search. I was destined to be stuck in the town I despised. “I guess I’d better start liking this town” I said to myself. I stopped applying for jobs, but my prayer life, while new, was still going. My prayer changed from “Get me out of this town” to “If it is YOUR will, then guide me.” Months later I moved.

• There have been many times when I felt like giving up.
• There have been many times when I had no resolution to my situation.
• There have been many times when I thought my world was collapsing while everyone else was doing well.

JESUS told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. HE explained how a persistent widow kept going to a godless person and got what she wanted. How much then would GOD, who cares for you, give you what you want?

• GOD says to me “Keep praying, for I hear you.”
• GOD says to me “Keep asking, and I will come into your heart.”
• GOD says to me “Keep trying, for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and give you hope.”

“Are we there yet” was my childish question on, what I thought was, a long drive. But as I matured and had to drive myself, the drive seemed shorter than I thought. The same goes with spiritual maturity. “Is my prayer answered yet?” is my immature question. BUT GOD knows the areas of my life that I need to grow.

HE wants me to have the faith that sustains all extended problems of life. HE wants me to have persistence in my prayer. When JESUS returns, I would like HIM to find me with faith rather than with blame. I will continue to pray and believe.

• Do you feel like giving up?
• Has life gotten very difficult?
• Will you stop, take a deep breath and continue to pray and believe in GOD to deliver you in HIS time and in HIS way?