November 10, 2011 – Luke 18 - 18:34

I was thinking about the parable of the Persistent woman and how that might be misinterpreted.  Someone might see this and say, Well, I have prayed for wealth every hour on the hour for 5 years and am still poor.”  Where did persistence get them.  And not just with wealth, but with health or employment or selling a home.  Any of the things someone might offer up prayers for on a persistent basis.  If they are not answered, someone could look at this parable and be turned away because of the lack of results.  What would you say to them. 

First, the woman was not asking for anything that was not due to her anyway.  I think that is something that might be easily overlooked.  All she was asking for is a just decision.  God will give us justice, He can do nothing less than that.  We may not like justice and what we receive as justice may not seem like justice in our eyes, but God is a perfectly just God and we will get exactly what we are suppose to.  If we are persistent in prayer for things that we do not deserve, then we should not be upset when we don’t receive it.  If ask God to give us justice, first of all be careful what you wish for, it will be done.

Second, the judge rules for her after all is said and done.  God will not give us our full reward until the very end.  Persistent prayer for things here on Earth is not what He is talking about here.  Persistent prayer for eternal reward is what is being looked at here.  When you look at the context, the last few sections have all been about the end.  The persistence God wants is a life lived striving persistently towards God until our life is over.  Then our just reward will be given as an eternal home in Heaven.  Do not look to this as a parable that praying for whatever you think you want you will get.  This parable is not about gaining material things but eternal dwellings.