Devotional Thoughts for This Morning
Lk. 18:1-8 (NIV): Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. [2] He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. [3] And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ [4] “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, [5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” [6] And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. [7] 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? [8] 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?”
Perhaps, the widow facing injustice is in a situation similar to that of another widow who says to Elisha, “. . . you know that [my husband] revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves” (2 Ki. 4:2). Whereas Elisha is willing to help the widow, the judge in the parable is not.
Sometimes, to stress a point, an absurd argument is used. Ruth Graham once said, “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!” She meant that Americans were steeped in sin. Jesus does the same here: to show the effectiveness of persistent prayer, he has to make the judge (who represents God) out to be indifferent and uncaring. If the judge were to be kind and willing, then there would be no story to tell.
For a long time, the judge shows zero interest in addressing the widow’s grievance; her lack of stature only adds to his indifference. But the judge’s mind wavers as she keeps shouting and even banging on the door; he is clearly overwhelmed by it. As the days turn into weeks, the judge, out of sheer exhaustion, relents; she gets what she came for: justice.
Ultimately, although God isn’t like an uncaring judge, He still may not respond right away so that we can learn to pray persistently. On the other hand, God may respond immediately, as Elisha says to the widow, “How I can I help you?” and immediately provides a miraculous way for her to pay the debt (2 Ki. 4:7).
Praying consistently both in depth (“[Jesus] prayed more earnestly” [Lk. 22:43]) and length (“Could you men not keep watch me for one hour” [Matt. 26:40]) may just come down to developing it as a habit. Some scientists say that a typical person needs at least 3 weeks to form a good habit. Two components are necessary to develop any habit: intentionality and a plan. So decide that you are going to develop a prayer life where you pray daily for a significant length; develop a prayer strategy that includes adoration (praise), confession, thanksgiving, supplication and intercession. Just pray!
Prayer
Lord, what am I that the God of this universe would heed to my words! It is beyond comprehension that I matter that much to You. O God, if I just stop for seconds to think about this amazing reality, nothing in life can make me really sad. Father, accept my prayer as a fragrant offering unto You. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 32
Lunch Break Study
Read Lk. 2:46-55 (NIV): “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. [51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. [53] He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. [54] He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful [55] to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.’”
Question to Consider
- How does Mary begin her prayer? Why is that important?
- What does Mary pray after that? What is the significance of doing that?
- Consider structuring your prayer under this acronym: A-C-T-S: adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (including intercession, that is, praying for the needs of other people; this part should be the longest). Write out a quick prayer under each letter.
Notes
- She begins with a declaration, praising God: “My soul glories the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God.” When speaking to a waiter, we don’t say, “My stomach glorifies the chef”; we just get to the point. However, we shouldn’t speak to God as if He were taking our order (“easy on the butter”).
- She recalls all the powerful, faithful and merciful things that the Lord has done in the past on behalf of her people; this, no doubt, gives her confidence that He can help her cause as well.
- A: Father, I acknowledge You as my loving yet sovereign Ruler of my life; C: I confess that I have repeatedly failed to acknowledge You in my everyday life; T: I thank You for always forgiving me and providing for my needs; S: Lord, I pray that you will provide for the education of my children.
Evening Reflection
As we wrap up this day, I think it is appropriate to end it with a heartfelt prayer as we meditate on this verse: “How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matt. 7:11).
“How much?” asks the merchant, to which the owner responds, “It’ll cost you everything you have.” Although the buyer offers all his cash and property, the seller demands even more. Upon being told, “I’ve nothing else except my wife and children,” the owner says, “They become mine too.” Though the merchant is troubled by what this is costing him, he reluctantly gives them up, but the seller isn’t done, saying, “There is one more thing I want.” Feeling indignant, the buyer shouts, “I don’t have anything else!” But the seller retorts, “You become mine, too.” Does the merchant want the pearl that desperately? He must have, since the phrase “sold everything he had” could extend to selling himself as a slave, especially in the antiquity when this was practiced (Gn. 44:16). But as the pearl is being handed over to the buyer, the seller says, “You can take back everything—cash, property, you and your family –I’m lending them to you; when I need it, I’ll take it back.”
This parable tells us not to “offer sacrifice to the LORD . . . that cost [us] nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24). Since everything we own belongs to Christ who paid for them with His life, when He calls for them, whether it be our availability, money, career, kids or spouse, we “give . . . to God what is God’s” (Matt. 22:21). What is He asking you for right now?
A famous author on leadership (a former pastor) was impressed by how Enron got so huge, very fast (“A decade later . . . the revenues were $101 billion . . . its assets . . . $53 billion”). No one knew then that the heads of this energy company hid, using deceptive accounting methods, enormous debts from bad deals. The oversight made by this author is the kind that some pastors and businessmen make: being mesmerized by anything that grows very fast, and then copying what appear to be impressive methods.
A while back, I met a Vietnamese pastor who suffered for 3 years in prison for his faith. But his church, instead of dwindling during his absence, grew; and some 30 years later, it had 423,213 members in 2,388 churches. In China, after the communists drove out all western missionaries following the Cultural Revolution in 1949, many in the West worried that the church would die out under communist persecution; instead, it flourished throughout China: from 840,000 to 100 million believers by 2007.
During my morning jog in Villahermosa, Mexico, I slowed down to share the gospel with a young man coming my way. After a few minutes into the conversation, he said he’ll return to his former church—“Kingdom Hall.” Then I realized that he was a backslidden Jehovah’s Witness, but knew very little of its teaching (See Lunch Break Study 1/23). So, I was in an awkward position of having to inform him of their beliefs, and then to refute them afterwards.
It seems that many who “love” theology (e.g., “I’m a 5-point Calvinist”) lack love, while others who promote love find doctrine not as essential; yet instead of an “either/or” attitude, we should be balanced and have both doctrine and love: “Speak[] the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). So, in love, I shared with the young Mexican some guidelines to find a church that preaches the true gospel.
The Samaritan woman mentioned in the verses above has often been described as one of Jesus’ first evangelists. After meeting Jesus, she enthusiastically praised Him and shared about His impact in her life with others; and as a result, many became believers. As people who have encountered Jesus in our lives, we too should praise Him and share about His life-changing effect with others. No doubt we may face barriers, but keep in mind that the Samaritan woman had her own obstacles as well. Her inferior status as a woman in Middle Eastern society and her reputation as an adulterer did not prevent her from sharing about Jesus in wise ways (i.e. using a rhetorical question instead of the declaration “He is the Messiah”, which others might have scoffed at or ignored).
Indeed, one of the many beautiful things about the Gospel is that it is profound enough to study for one’s lifetime but simple enough for a child to understand. And this fact is important as in this passage, Jesus instructs His disciples to become like little children, lest they find themselves outside the kingdom of heaven. When we think of children, many character traits might come to mind (especially for parents or babysitters!) but one appropriate trait is this: vulnerability. Children are vulnerable because they are weaker (physically, spiritually, mentally, etc.) than they will be in the future. They are vulnerable because most of them are dependent on their parents for their sustenance and survival. And they are vulnerable because of their innocent faith; rarely do children refrain from trusting others, even those whom they have just met.
Restaurants can ask people who don’t comply with their dress codes to leave after they have somehow snuck in. Likewise, anyone who enters a ticketed event with a counterfeit one can be removed if found out later. This parable shows that the same applies to an event held just before the ushering in of eternity: the wedding of the Lamb where Christ and his bride, referring to the church (believers), are officially unified. And the dress code for the participants? “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given [to his bride] her to wear” (Rev. 19:7-8). John explains that “fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.”
Also, this parable isn’t implying that some unbelievers will be mistakenly allowed into the wedding of the Lamb only to be removed later. What it does highlight is that there are some resemblances between the true gospel and the false, where in some cases, their differences won’t be clearly revealed until the end. In the parable of the weeds, when the servants noticed that the wheat and the weeds were growing together, they asked the master, “Do you want us to . . . pull them up?” But the master responded, “No. . . because while you are pulling the weed, you may root up the wheat with them” (Matt. 13:29).
“Kyle” served at our church, then later became a youth pastor at another church and got married. I called him up, one day, in order to catch up; and when I asked about his present ministry, he said, “My present ministry is focusing on my wife.” Since the word ministry comes from the Greek word diakoneō, meaning to serve, Kyle certainly ought to love his wife (Eph. 5:28) and “treat [her] with respect” (1 Pet. 3:7).
When we have a lot on our mind, it’s difficult to think about serving God, much less pray or read the Bible. Thus, the Bible exhorts us to avoid circumstances that sap the desire to grow in our spiritual life. Peter says that husbands should treat their wives with respect (thereby avoiding marital conflicts) “so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Pet. 3:7). On the night of Jesus’ arrest, Peter, John and James failed to stay up to pray along with Jesus because they were “exhausted from sorrow” (Lk. 22:45).
In addition, Paul declared, “Do not be anxious about anything” so as to “present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6). Adding to the list of things that produce anxiety, it is buying things and then using them. Once, I counseled a newly-wed couple who, despite making over $100,000 a year (in the 1990s), still racked up a debt of $40,000. In contrast, I was making one-third of that amount, with two kids, but without any debt. The source of their problem? They were part of the average American who spend 110% of their income each year, thanks to credit cards and easy loans.
After becoming a believer in 1981, I began praying for my father’s salvation, but he didn’t seem to respond at all. At that time, he was doing well financially operating a cafeteria in an affluent section of Washington D.C. Sensing that his god was his wealth and his mind was set on earthly things, I began praying, “Lord, allow his business to fail if that’s what it’ll take for him to come to You.” Fast forward to 1986, when my parents came to California for my engagement—grabbing my hand, my father said, “I’m so happy right now even though I lost my restaurant because Jesus is in my heart!” No sooner than I was reminded of my earlier prayer, my father added, “Your uncle gave you $1,000 as a gift but I can only give you $100; I need the rest for the engagement.” A bittersweet moment? No, it was all sweet!
In the parable, the first man rejected God’s offer of salvation on account of his business, saying, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it.” Either he was lying or wasn’t a good businessman: who buys a field without first seeing it? Ultimately, “whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” (Eccles. 5:10). Meanwhile, he neglects the things of God until the very day when God says, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself” (Lk. 12:20). Don’t be a fool by bartering away eternal life in Christ with the momentary enjoyment of earthly things. Take a pause and reflect: are you right with God? Confess. Repent.