As Christians we should have a strong belief in prayer and the power of prayer. It is part of our relationship with God where we can never stop growing or do too much. Prayer is a wonderful privilege that God extends to us to come and talk to Him and lay everything at His feet. Prayer shouldn’t be our last resort when times become difficult. Rather, it should be the first life-saving ring if you will, we grab when we are drowning and hold on to for dear life.
Is it always easy? No. But, then again, neither is life, hence the need for these reminders to take everything to the Lord in prayer before, in the middle of and after feeling totally overwhelmed by it all.
Prayer is something that should be a natural part of our Christian life, but something many use too infrequently or stop when they don’t receive an immediate answer or results that they are looking for. What Jesus teaches us in Sunday’s Gospel is sometimes you have to keep going for it. We cannot always expect microwave results. At times we must labor in prayer, and through the power of prayer, repeatedly keep petitioning our Heavenly Father.
Prayer is something that is given to us as an honor, as a way to reach God personally, one on one. It is as essential to the Christian life as breathing or eating. It is necessary to stay spiritually nourished in Him.
Martin Luther said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Why is that? Because as breath is needed for the body, with each inhale and exhale one’s life is sustained; so is the prayer line that fosters that interpersonal relationship between God and us. It is not only life-sustaining, but it is soul sustaining keeping that wonderful love connection between the two open and flowing. Think about it, that’s what Jesus did, He prayed!
There is never a good time when it is not a good idea to pray. Prayer is an appropriate action for us to take at all times. George Herbert, (famous poet) said, “prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. It opens us up in the morning and lays us down at night.”
As you will read in the gospel on Sunday or before, a widow came seeking justice against her opponent. “For a while he refused ; but later he said to himself, though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”
She wore him out! She came and invaded his space repeatedly with her pleas. She came until her request was heard and her situation was resolved.
How much more will God do for His own who come to Him? God is not an unjust judge, nor can He be worn out through our prayers. The point of this is to persist in prayer. Keep coming! Keep going to God! Never stop looking to Him as your source for everything in life. Handle everything with prayer! The widow refused to be silenced. Don’t let yourself be silenced by those around you.
God has an open invitation for His people and will care for His people in their time of need. Those who persist in prayer will see a righteous end to everything they are facing.
As God is patient and long suffering and will come at the right time, we too are commanded to be patient, and in that patience, persist.
Yes, it will be hard at times, it will seem unfair at times, but persevere. There will be times when you will be wronged, and it will hurt, but keep going and keep coming to God to seek everything you need.
