Luke 18:1-8
18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Jesus uses the parable of the judge and the widow as an example of God’s faithfulness to His people. He proclaims: “…shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” We can be assured that God will answer the prayers of His people, in His time and in His way.
In 2 Peter 3:8ff Peter interprets these verses for us. He says, “beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises…, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
This then prompts the question: “If He is not willing that any should perish, what is the will of God?” Well, in Luther’s explanation to the 3rd Petition of the Lord’s Prayer he has us confess: “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also…. God’s will is done when he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.”
We will never weary God, but He wills to weary us! He has us actually pray against ourselves, that He break and hinder us. As His crosses come and fix us on Christ’s cross, this is how He keeps us from perishing, by keeping us repentant. How appropriate during Lent. Thanks be to God’s faithful will!
Let us pray: O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
