Cause and Effect – Promise and Prayer is the second in our series on how our God changes us through his Word. God, you promised! This battle cry of the Christian holds God to his promises.
Unjust Judge
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’” That was the NIV 84. The NIV 2011 has so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” True to form the unjust judge ignores the pleas of the helpless widow. Yet, she doesn’t give up! He caves from the pressure. Verse five, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming! gets the point across, but the original Greek paints the picture being pounded by a fist in the face until the person has a black eye. The woman is relentless.
Point of Purchase
If you haven’t experienced it, I’m sure you’ve seen it. An adult with small child in tow is checking out at the grocery store. It is right at the checkout aisle where little, relatively inexpensive items are placed, low enough so that the small child can grab them and then begin the relentless onslaught of pleading and begging until the parent, who by now may in fact have a black eye, gives in. Be like that woman, maybe even like that child, in your persistent prayer life.
Wrestling God
Our Old Testament lesson affords a perfect example. Jacob was wrestling with God in prayer all night long – why? Jacob was smart; he was crafty. He had outsmarted his dad, his brother, his uncle, everyone, but now as he was heading home to Canaan, there was nowhere to run. The last time Jacob had seen his brother, Jacob received a death threat. He couldn’t out smart anyone this time. He goes to God and he says, “God you promised. Don’t let me down.” Jacob didn’t just wrestle in prayer; God let him wrestle physically. He held on for dear life – putting God in a submission hold. Jacob won!
That doesn’t make any sense. God can’t handle a persistent widow, or a winy kid? The almighty God can’t pin a guy to the ground? If you’re at this point, you are starting to understand prayer.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from Luke 18, Cause and Effect – Promise and Prayer.
Book(s): Luke
Series: Cause and Effect
Tag(s): Prayer
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg