Jesus always prayed, even though he was God. He even prayed on the cross. One of the difficult parts of prayer is persistence, especially when God doesn't seem to answer. So, Jesus told his disciples a parable to pray always and to not give up. In the parable, there are two characters: a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought, and a widow who kept coming to the judge to get justice against her adversary. The judge could not endure her bothering. He granted her request.

Unlike the judge, God cares for his chosen ones. He is righteous and loves justice (Ps. 11:7). If the unjust judge answered the request of the widow, how much more will a righteous, loving God answer the prayers of his children who cry out to him day and night? But why then do God's chosen ones give up on praying? They do so because of their lack of faith in God. Those who have faith pray persistently without giving up. When Jesus comes again, he will find men and women of faith. They are the people praying without giving up. A mark of faith is to pray persistently.


Application: Lord, give me the earnestness and persistence of the widow. Help me to have faith in God who cares for us and to pray without giving up.
One Word: Pray! Pray! Pray!