Word of Salvation – Vol.42 No.33 – September 1997
Pray, And Don’t Give Up
Sermon by Rev. D. Groenenboom on Luke 18:1-8
Scripture Readings: Luke 12:22-31; Psalm 68:1-6
Suggested Hymns: BoW 98a; 20; 437; 281; 167
Dear Congregation,
We all know that Christians ought to pray. No surprises here. All of us do pray, at one time or another. We pray before meals. We pray after a close shave in the car. We pray at the birth of a child. We pray seeking forgiveness for sin. We pray looking for a partner.
- You can persist
Sometimes, though, prayer doesn’t come easy: when there doesn’t seem to be an answer, when you don’t seem to get anywhere. And we do want to get somewhere. We want prayer to perform, just like anything else.
When employees fail to perform they get the sack. When the family car fails to perform we trade it in. When the electric drill fails to perform, we throw it out and buy another. When the Government fails to perform, we vote them out.
But what do you do when prayer doesn’t perform? I recall at least one lady saying, “I used to pray a lot about my health. It never did any good.” Her prayer was not performing.
What do we do then? Loose faith? Start doubting? Stop praying?
(Luke 18:1) Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Jesus wants you to know that even when it seems prayer isn’t performing, you should still pray. You can still pray. And that you should pray and not give up.
And just so we understand, Jesus introduces us to two people. A crook judge (vs.2): he doesn’t fear God; he doesn’t care about people. And a poor widow (vs.3): she has no one to speak for her; she has no money for a lawyer, in the win-ability stakes she rates a flat zero; she is a poor widow in a man’s world.
Now, the judge couldn’t give a fig for the widow, but she was one stubborn lady. Day after day she would go back to the court, “give me justice against my adversary.” She did not give up.
It reminds me of children. I remember having a deep and meaningful conversation with someone after church, and their little boy was after his father’s attention. Because the conversation was so delicate, the dad tried to ignore his son. But he was one stubborn kid. When all else had failed, a slow rhythmic drone, increasing its volume and persistence with every repetition began:
“Daddy… Daddy… Daddy… Daddy… D a d d y… D a d d y… DADDY… DADDY…”
In the end there was nothing the father or I could do to ignore it. This kid just kept at it. So what did we do? We gave in!
All parents do. It’s understandable, isn’t it? And that’s the point. If you can understand yourself doing that, or even a crook judge hearing out an old woman – if it happens even then – why do we think God is any different? Why do we think prayer is not working?
- God is just
See, the point is persistence. And it’s not so you’ll feel bad if your prayer life is poor, but so you’ll hear the voice of Jesus saying, “whatever happens, you just keep on praying, and don’t give up.”
These are the tender words of a loving Saviour, who knows our needs and who carries our burdens with us. He does not want us to despair, he does not want us to give up on prayer.
He wants us to look at the unjust judge; and ask, “What sort of person is he?” He has no faith. He does not care for others. He is self-interested and self-centred. In all likelihood, he is corrupt. He doesn’t care for the widow’s case, even though the Law said he should defend her. Yet day after day all he hears is: “Grant me justice! Hear my case! Don’t deny me! Listen to my plea!” On and on and on and on she goes. Never a day without her cry: “Grant me justice.”
In the end he said to himself, “I really couldn’t give a hang about this lady or her problem, but if I see her one more time I’ll end up in the rubber truck! She’s going to drive me crackers. Someone, anyone, give her what she asks for!”
Her persistence pays off. She gets what she needs.
We can understand how that would happen, can’t we? And yet this judge is unjust! If an unjust judge grants the request, how much more will your loving Father in heaven?
He has chosen you as one of his own. He has redeemed you with the blood of His Son. He has given His Spirit in your heart to comfort you, counsel you and be with you forever. Your Father cares deeply and lovingly for you. He is deeply aware of all your struggles and needs. He knows about your health. He knows the worries you may have about your family. He sees what happens to your kids at school. He knows what your marriage is like. And Jesus’ whole point is that if this unjust judge grants the request of someone who is driving him up the wall, of course our loving Father will grant justice to His chosen ones as they cry out to him? Of course God will hear your prayer. Of course you can pray, and not give up!
As we listen to our Saviour’s assurance (vs.7) we understand that these are prayers for pretty major things. They are prayers for the big things in life. The things that our guts wrench over.
Do you really think God will ignore you? He’s just and loving and He knows what you need, even before you ask! You might think you’re getting nowhere, that it’s not working, that it’s not performing, and that all your prayers and sighs and tears are only shattered dreams of a wishful thinker?
But Jesus tells you this parable to show you that you should always pray and not give up. And the question the Lord asks of you right now is, “Do you believe Jesus, or not?”
- Christ is returning
Do you believe the Lord hears your prayer? And that He answers?
I know, this is the hardest part, isn’t it? If God hears and answers, why isn’t it working?
It’s especially hard to understand when we hear Matthew 7:7-11 (read) or Matthew 18:19 (read).
We end up asking: “If the Bible is so clear, why do things get so complicated? Why aren’t my prayers answered? How come I’ve been praying for bread, and all I have is a house full of stones? How come I’m seeking fish, and all I get is snakes? How come we’re all agreed that this is what we need, and it’s just not coming?”
Some try to explain this by pointing to the weakness of our faith. They suggest our faith might be too weak. “Stronger faith will see us finally get what we asked for,” they say.
For others, unconfessed sin is the problem. When we finally confess all our sin, then God will be free to act and pour out His blessing into our lives. Or maybe we’re just not praying the right way. Our prayer, perhaps, is not persistent enough. So we need to pray more. Pray harder. Pray longer. Pray in the spirit. Pray this way. Pray that way. Well, of course our faith should be strong. We should confess our sins before God. And we should pray the way God wants us to. But these suggestions can never explain why we sometimes do not get what we ask in prayer. And they should be rejected, for they place all emphasis on us. They say that prayer is answered because of our effort – our prayer, our faith – which is about as helpful as saying prayer is answered because of our good looks – then you’d really be in trouble, wouldn’t you?
But God hears and answers prayer on the same basis as salvation itself! The blood of His Son Jesus Christ! By grace! Because He is a just and loving Father!
This parable places the emphasis on who God is, and not on what we should do. And that’s why you can pray and not give up! That’s why you can go through life facing all sorts of difficulties and not lose faith.
But the question remains: why are things so complicated when what the Bible says is so simple? The short answer is, “I don’t know.” But there are a few things that can help us, though.
Remember, when God says He’ll hear your prayer and answer it, it may not always be the way you want Him to answer. It may not always be the answer you expect.
Remember, when the Lord promises to grant your request, He doesn’t say when He will do that. We often demand immediate or quick responses, yet the Lord rarely gives them. Sometimes it takes months – or years. With some things we will wait until Christ’s return – but we will receive. That’s God’s promise.
Remember, you live by faith, and not by sight. We may not see the answer, but we will keep believing in our loving Lord who hears and answers prayer. We may not see progress, we may not witness any performance that we can measure, but we pray, and we don’t give up. Our God is just. He won’t deny us.
And because God is just, we continue to pray. But will you? When the Son of Man returns, will he find you persisting in prayer? Don’t apply Jesus’ question to those Christians who are living when He returns. Jesus directs His question to you. Today. Now.
If He returns tonight, will He find you still speaking to the One you believe to be just and loving? Or will you have given up? Will you, having judged your prayers to have failed, considered there’s no one there to listen? Or if He does listen, that He doesn’t care?
No, as believers we look deep into the character of a loving, caring Lord. We shall see His total commitment to us in His Son. We shall see His gracious cleansing of all our guilt. We shall see that all through the ages He has only ever kept His promises. And you shall believe…
that He is not putting you off,
that you will get justice,
that your prayers are heard.
And we shall confess, “Lord, you know what we need. You are our Father, our Defender. You have placed us in the family of the faithful. Let us have faith in you! So that when you return, you will, by the power of your own grace, find us…
still looking to you,
still believing,
still praying,
…and not giving up.
Amen.