I love the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. This lady was dealing with a difficult matter that only the judge could help her with. She pleaded with him for justice. But he was an ungodly judge and didn’t care about people. But she kept coming, day after day, with her request. Eventually, because she was wearing him out, he gave her justice. Jesus tells this parable to the people as He talked about prayer. It’s not about God being unjust or uncaring – it’s about persistency in prayer and not giving up. It’s about waiting on God. It’s about God hearing and eventually moving His hand.
Waiting can be hard. Let me tell you my story. I’ve been praying for a couple of my loved ones for as long as I can remember. I’ve put their names in the BIG chest at the front of the church over 15 years ago (I wonder where that chest is right now). I’ve written their names on the wall of my church in the “year of the one” a couple years ago. I’ve prayed, pleaded, interceded, spoken truth into them. I’ve paced my floor, walked around the neighborhood, fallen on my face before the Lord… praying for my loved ones. I see the struggle, I know they’re listening to lies, and I see the chains binding them up. Yet here I am STILL WAITING.
I’m still waiting for breakthrough. I’m still waiting for mountains to be moved, the gates of heaven to be opened, angels to come, eyes to be opened, hearts to be moved by the gospel, transformation in their lives. I have been clinging to God’s Word: “Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I’m here in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13)… this verse is hanging in my prayer room. Yet here I am STILL WAITING.
Our verse today speaks about waiting on God. In fact, waiting is a common theme throughout the Bible. We are told to wait and to not give up. If we wait patiently, expecting, trusting, hoping, believing, then there’s great blessing in the waiting. We are strengthened in the waiting, our faith grows in the waiting, our resolve gets stronger in the waiting, our trust deepens in the waiting, and hope sustains us in the waiting. And here’s the best part… I believe that the longer we must wait for a movement of God, the greater the reward will be. Who knows… maybe we’re praying for the next Billy Graham, the next Charlie Kirk, the next evangelist to bring thousands to Christ.
Let me encourage you to keep coming, keep bringing your loved ones to Christ, asking for breakthrough, for a miracle, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into their lives. Keep clinging to His promises, keep speaking truth into them, and NEVER give up. Hope this encourages you today.