Jesus' parables always make a point. Sometimes that point was unclear to his hearers. Other times they were straightforward. Here, it is clear. We should pray without ceasing.
He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:2-8 NIV)
Prayer is about more than believing in God. Prayer happens when we trust God. We turn to Him for advice. We ask Him for wisdom. We lean on His strength. Sometimes, prayer is just about getting to know Him better - building a closer relationship with The One. His final statement is, again, challenging. When Jesus returns, will he find us praying? Will He find faith on earth?
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14 NIV)
Faith is not about what we bring to God. It's about how we rely on God. A good relationship with God does not focus on everything we have to bring Him. Instead, it is thankful for Him. God does not lift us up so we can look down on others. He lifts us up so we can see Him. Our prayers will reflect our understanding of this. When we pray it should be about Him more than ourselves. When we pray, we should draw near to Him.
How about you? Do you pray? Do you trust God? When you pray, is it always about you and what you want? Do you talk to Him about what He wants? Are you thankful that he allows you to approach Him in prayer?
No comments:
Post a Comment