READING: Luke 18
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: Is prayer ever difficult for you? As much as I believe in prayer, I confess that sometimes it’s tough to stay diligent and persistent. That’s when I need to hear Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). When we cry out to God continually, He hears our prayers.
Most helpful to me, though, is the introduction to this parable: “He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged” (Luke 18:1). The parable’s purpose tells us that those who pray will be tempted to become disheartened and stop praying — but we must fight that tendency.
Here’s why this text speaks to me. Jesus’ disciples learned to pray at the feet of the Master, that is, from the greatest teacher ever. Prayer was in His DNA, and He modeled prayer for His followers. The disciples could have chosen no better teacher — and yet they, too, apparently would be tempted not to pray. Under the stress of Jesus’ arrest and facing the coming persecution, they would face possible discouragement and prayerlessness. Later, the church would be tempted to do the same as they waited for the return of Christ.
If the disciples who learned prayer from Jesus still struggled at times, I’m not surprised that we do, too. None of us defaults into prayer; we default into self-dependence and prayerlessness. Reading Luke 18:1-8 can remind us to pray always and not get discouraged.
ACTION STEPS: Set your watch to pray continually throughout this day (perhaps, for example, praying every three hours). Get in the habit of praying without ceasing.
PRAYER: “Help me, Lord, to pray even when I’m discouraged. Thank You for hearing our persistent prayers.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Matthew 19, Mark 10
