First of all the widow was asking for justice. She was in the right. The judge was not a man who feared God. (Luke 18:4) The only reason he gave the woman what she wanted was she kept coming back to him. How much more will God do for His children. What really sticks with me is the last part of verse eight. "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth." This parable is more about faith than persistence. Whether God will grant us what we ask does not matter. It is a given God will grant justice (verses 7-8) the important issue here is our faith. If I have faith persistence follows. When I grow weary or get tired of feeling like my prayers are going nowhere it says more about my faith than endurance. After all, faith is what is going to drive every aspect of my Christian life. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) Let´s face it! The widow had faith that if she continued to come to the judge day after day, he would eventually rule in her favor. If she would have lacked faith, she would have given up long before getting her judgment.
As we continue to look at all the parables of Jesus, it should not be surprising that every story seems to address and come back to the main issue of faith. Do we truly live what we say we believe? If our faith does not permeate our everyday life, do we really have faith? May 2008 be a year that I am driven by a genuine faith and trust in God.
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 18:1-8
BOTTOM LINE
Persistence is a byproduct of faith. Without faith we accomplish nothing.