Tuesday
Can you see yourself as the judge in this parable? Or the widow? Talk about nagging….
She doesn’t let up, but then Jesus tells us this is an example of how our prayer life should be. “So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night?” We should constantly cry out to God. Will our persistence make God change his mind? I don’t think so… but your persistence will draw us closer to God. Did you notice the woman had to “go to” the judge night after night? That is what God wants from us… “go to” Him in prayer… night after night or day after day or both day and night. There is no formula for how our prayers should be. And this isn’t saying that God won’t come to us in our need. (Think about the lost sheep that Jesus went searching for.) And don’t mistake persistence as getting your own way. I would say, Jesus was very persistent when he was praying in Gethsemane that he not have to go to the cross… yet He still was willing to follow God’s plan. I think sometimes when we pray persistently that we can gain a new insight on the situation. It gives us time to think or rethink what God wants. Jesus goes on further to show another aspect of prayer and that is sincerity. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Who “looks” religious and who “is” religious? Who is faithful and who is full of themselves? Remember in prayer, Jesus looks at the heart of the person praying. Pray persistently, but pray with honesty, in faithfulness.
Jesus’ parables always seem to contrast what the world thinks. We are not to live like those in the world. What the world thinks is important is not what God sees as important. Wealth and power and fame… these are worldly things. Jesus says “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Why do you think Jesus wanted the rich young ruler to sell his possessions? Not because Jesus hates rich people (clearly he does not… look at Zacchaeus or Joseph of Arimathea – he doesn’t ask them to sell all their riches.) And Jesus knows also said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God (18:27).. so being wealthy isn’t what makes entering the Kingdom of God impossible. So why tell this young man to sell his possessions? Because Jesus saw the heart of this young ruler and knew that money would be his master and not God.
We find in our reading that we should come before Jesus with the heart and faith of a small child, not corrupted by the world and the way the world thinks. Jesus also stops and talks to the blind beggar, who says to Jesus, “Lord, I want to see.” That is a prayer we should all be asking of Him. (Did you notice that with these different people, how many “good intentioned” people wanted to prevent them from coming to Jesus? – How often are we those in the crowd that would stop beggars and little children, women who need healing?)
What in your life is keeping you from faithfully following Jesus? How is your prayer life? Are you praying persistently? How is your heart condition? Have you turned to Jesus in truth and honesty? What are you putting before God?
Blessings on the day!
Pastor Kathy