What does the Widow teach me about prayer?
Yesterday I saw how Paul encouraged the church in Colosse to pray devotedly and be watchful in prayer (Colossians 4 v 2). This idea of keeping our prayers constantly flowing to God. After a couple of comments people posted on my Facebook note of yesterday’s devotion, they inspired me to spend a day studying this passage which cross-referenced to yesterday.
Luke 18 v 1-8
The reason Jesus tells this Parable is to encourage the listeners to pray persistently. Following this parable Jesus uses the parable about the Pharisee and a tax collector who pray (Luke 18 v 9-14). This isn't the first time Jesus has used a parable to encourage people to pray, Luke 11 v 5-13 - The Friend in the night.
The two key characters in Luke 18 v 1-8 parable of the Persistent Widow are the Widow and the Judge. At first I thought the Judge represented God, but then thank you discussion my eyes opened to the fact that it wasn't meant to represent God, because the Judge was neither God fearing our caring of people. So why is Jesus portraying him as that, I came to this conclusion: that if an unjust Judge is willing to respond to persistence, then how much more is the God who loves us willing to respond. I think that was the point Jesus was trying to get over to people.
We can be thankful that our situation is so much better than the widows; here are some contrasts between us and the widow...
The Widow God's People
a. A stranger a. His elect (1 Peter 2 v 9-10)
b. Only one b. We are many
c. At a distance c. We can come boldly (Hebrews 4 v 15-16)
d. An unjust judge d. A righteous Father
e. On her own e. God is for us (Romans 8 v 31-32)
f. Pleads her own case f. We have an Advocate (Romans 8 v 34)
g. No promise of an answer g. Promise given (Luke 8 v 8)
h. Access limited h. Access unlimited (can pray to God anytime)
i. Asking provoked judge i. Asking delights God
If persistence paid off for the widow, how much more for God's people who pray?
Paul teaches about persistence to the Colossians because it works, God wants us to tell him what is going on in our lives.
How does this affect my prayer life?
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