Dear Faith Family,

And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart, (Luke 18:18).

It was once upon a Christmastime.  My sweet wife was busy turning ribbons into bows.  See, a friend of hers had a poinsettias farm.  And Cyndi was hired to make bows for the poinsettias.  It looked easy enough.  You’re with me, right?  Opportunity made its entrance.  (Insert a thought cloud right here above my head.)  Thought: I could make bows.  Double our extra income.  Great.

And then I tried.  I told you that it looked easy enough, right?  First try.  Not so easy.  But I was a rookie.  I’ll get the hang of this.  Second try.  Not easier.  By the third try the ribbon made its way to the floor and I gave up.  I just couldn’t do it.

Prayer is no less challenging.  Sure, when it “works” we’ll keep on praying.  But what about when it doesn’t “work”?  What about when God is slow to answer?  What about when God’s answer doesn’t look like a bow?

Our tendency is to lose heart and stop praying.  It is to us that Jesus told the parable in Luke 18:1-8.  You really should read the parable.  Listen to Jesus.

Did you hear Him talk about a judge?  That’s important!  The judge had means.  He had authority.  He had resources at his disposal.  Persistence in prayer requires faith, faith in the One to whom we pray.  When God doesn’t come through in our timely manner, we can be tempted to believe that He isn’t listening, that He is unable to do what we ask, or that He simply doesn’t care.

Did you hear Him talk about a widow?  That’s important!  She was without an advocate.  She was needy.  Knowing her need, she sought help.  Persistence in prayer requires a desperation.  We don’t like to be needy.  But we are.  We don’t like the thought of being desperate.  But we are.

When we focus on results, prayer tends to be short lived unless God chooses to answer in a timely fashion according to our desires.  As Ryle points out, beginning to pray is easy.  Continuing to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is the harder.

Could it be that prayer is more about relationship than results?  Was Jesus protecting us from rebellious independence by reminding us that we are completely dependent upon Him?  For in Him we live and move and have our being, (Acts 17:28). 

Could it be that prayer is more about relationship than results?  Was Jesus encouraging us with the very character of our God who loves to hear us, His children, pray?  He does hear.  He is able.  He does care.  So keep casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you, (1 Peter 5:7).

Gaining heart,
Pastor Karl