Luke 18 is a great story about persisting through adversity! But it’s not about us moving in our own strength; it’s about us enduring the race that has been set out for us - through persistent faith, justness and love. Here’s what Luke says in 18:1, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show them that they should always pray and never give up.” He said, “There was a judge in a certain city, who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' The judge ignored her, for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy.' 'I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge - even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Luke 18:1-8 I love this story because it’s simple and true. If you seek to find Jesus, then He will show himself to you. The judge represents a man who is filled with evil intent. He has the desire to condemn because he does not fear God, nor does he care about men. The woman represents the Holy Spirit, living in us, who does not give up when pursing righteous in love. By human standards she would have given up, but Holy Spirit gifted her with a faith so strong. And because her heart was filled with love, she kept coming back, even when it looked like the door was closed shut! I'm sure she knew that he didn’t care, but his insolence made her even more aware - persistence would be the only way that he would ever declare justice for her. She was probably desperate for an answered prayer, so she pressed in even harder, even though doubts were there. And in the end, it was humility that gave her the ability to keep coming back. Most humans would have given up, when a hardened judge says "No, I'm not!" Most humans would build up their own stubbornness when nothing would seem to move an immovable judge. This is how corruption breeds injustice, and this is how injustice breeds discontentment. We must be willing to keep coming to the Lord, so that Holy Spirit can work in us - injustice should create a heart of love rather than developing roots of bitterness. We must stop looking to men, who are really just sinners driven by evil intent, and expecting them to change when they are walking blindly in prideful-ness; instead we must persist in love and forgiveness, and wait on God to show mercy to us. The characteristic of persistent faith is found in the woman who endured in confident hope. Not only in hope but in action, consistently going to the Judge, even if it meant she annoyed him. She didn’t care what he would think, because she was driven by the need to be redeemed. Her desire was stronger than his corruption, which is why he finally decided to give in. Can’t You See? God is good? If you pursue His Love, then there is nothing that the enemy can take from you! Not a hard heart, or an evil judge, not an evil man or a bitter woman. No one can get in the way of God's love! No one can take away what He has called Just. Children of God, keep knocking at Gods door. Hold onto your faith - the King of Righteousness has paid the price for you. Don’t put your eggs in the basket of a man, whose heart is filled with evil intent and corruption. And be careful not to corrupt yourself, by losing hope and growing roots of resentment. Be careful not to fall into depression - by giving up hope and quitting on Him. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, He is the one who writes your name in the Book of Life. He is the Just King who shed His blood for you. He is the Suffering Servant who died for you. His blood covers all of your sin, and His fist is the gavel that says, "Not Guilty" "I have freed this man from His sin." "I have redeemed this woman for myself." May we all hear the message in this. May we all chase after Jesus, the King who is Righteous and Just. "May we all do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God." Micah 6:8
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