“Praying through Despair” (Luke 18:1-8)

Luke 18:1-8

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“Praying through Despair,” Luke 18:1-8
Pastor Tom Johnson, October 20, 2019

“Avenge Me of Mine Adversary” —Anonymous
Pacific Press Publishing Company, 1900

This is one of the few parables whose purpose and meaning is clearly stated. Jesus tells this parable to that we would pray more and be discouraged less—to pray always and not to lose heart. Jesus tells the story of a widow who goes to a judge—a spiritually and morally compromised judge. Basically the judge is the worst kind that one could imagine—he has no reverence for God and no respect for the people he serves. When you enter his courtroom, there is no “In God we trust” sign. When he asks you to say, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth he will not ask you to say “So help me God.” He does not care about being accountable to God. His lack of respect for others follows. He does not care about the plight of the poor, the cries of the oppressed, or the victims of crimes and assault. That is why it is helpful to know who a first century widow is.

Widows were typically young women with small children who had been abandoned. They were the most vulnerable to abuse—forced into prostitution, property taken away, and little recourse or rights as women in a patriarchal society. This judge does not care that the Bible says true “religion...is to visit orphans and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27a). He does not care about religion. He does not care about people who afflicted. But because the widow will not stop coming to him day after day to plead her cause—because she is so persistent to tell him again and again her struggle—because he is so sick of hearing from her and just wants her to go away—he grants her his request. He is so annoyed by her he gives her what she wants. It does not matter to him that justice for her is pleasing to God. That she will have a better life and be able to move forward in her life does not make him feel good. Having her out of his life and courtroom—not seeing and hearing her makes him happy. To put it bluntly, this judge is a real jerk.

Why would Jesus tell this story of such a despicable person? Jesus emphatically says “listen to what the unjust judge says”—take a hard look at this corrupt, uncaring, godless, dishonorable court justice. He is not your Heavenly Father. Do not mistake God for him. He is nothing like the One to whom we pray to day after day. Pray always. Do not lose heart in praying. You are no bother. You are not an annoyance. God loves to hear from you. He is God and is never too busy. He respects and loves all humanity—so much so, that he sent his only begotten son to take on our humanity—to give the years of his life—to pray always day after day for us—and to give his life on the cross and take it up again in the resurrection.

Jesus points out something he wants all of us to understand: we do not pray enough for one reason alone. We grow weary in prayer for one reason alone. Why do we fail to pray always? Why do we lose heart to pray? There is only one explanation. It is because we have a wrong view of God. We do not believe in a gracious, merciful, and loving Heavenly Father. We do not cast our every care upon him because we do not trust that he truly cares. This bad news—that we do not pray enough and fall into despair—has a remedy. And that remedy is to know God’s heart for us better. This is good news! Thanks be to God that our view of him falls short of just how caring and loving he is!

That means that we do not just need more time for prayer. It means that we do not just need to be more faithful, try harder, or be more obedient to pray. It means that we get to expand our understanding of “the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (Eph 3:18,19). Martin Luther, the German reformer, said his view of God was so twisted that he hated God. When he finally understood how much God loves him and sinners, he was overcome with peace and joy. He said, “God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true Father and that we are his true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask him as dear children as their dear father.”

Think about the person in your life that you have little to no doubt loves and cherishes you...maybe your mom or dad...a grandparent...your spouse...a best friend. Think about how much they love you, care about you, and love to hear your voice. God’s love is higher still, his care even greater, he loves to hear from you even more.

Let each day begin with prayer;
Praise, and adoration
On the Lord cast ev’ry care;
He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night,
Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter’s might,
With his presence cheer you.
             (“With the Lord Begin Your Task,” LSB 869 v. 2)