Justice Served
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t wear me out!’”
And Jesus said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”
– Luke 18:1-7
Just keep praying… like the little engine that could. Just keep praying… even when the answers don’t come. Just keep praying. That’s what the parable of the persistent widow tells us about prayer. Personally, I don’t love the comparison of our compassionate God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love… to an unjust judge who just doesn’t want to be bothered anymore. However, the contrast of our God who loves us and wants what is truly best for us to a selfish judge that doesn’t actually care at all, gives me comfort; particularly when I feel like I’m beating down the door to heaven with my prayers and no one seems to answer.
God is faithful. God is just. God hears our prayers. Those are the reminders I need when my prayers seem to go unanswered. This morning, our 9-year old son, Paul, shared a video with me. In this video the pastor reminded us that Jesus had to break the bread before he could multiply it to feed 5,000. When we feel broken, God could be re-shaping us. God isn’t finished writing our story. If we feel like we are going through a bad chapter, don’t throw the book away… our story isn’t finished yet.
Just keep praying… God is listening.
Last Sunday, we practiced sharing our stories of faith in worship. Thank you for participating in sharing your story. Keep sharing! God has given you a wonderful story to tell! Please join us in worship this fall as we share our own inspiring stories of faith.
O God, You are faithful to all generations—from the beginning of time, you have called all kinds of characters to be your people. When we forget that their story is our story, forgive us. When we admire them from afar while insisting that kind of faith isn’t practical for us, forgive us. We confess that your justice is too hard for us to do, and we prefer to create our own. We confess that we do not often bear the fruit you expect of your vineyard, resisting your kingdom’s way when it conflicts with our desires. Forgive us yet again, and plant your word of justice deep in our hearts and lives. Help us, O God, to know you so well that we cannot help but love you, and to love you so much we cannot help but serve you, sharing your good news in every place, for it is in doing your will that we find perfect freedom. Amen.
