Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (Posted each Monday, Wednesday and Friday) as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series.
From Luke 18:1-8, let’s reflect on how it’s possible, without care, to become unfaithful in prayer.
You can listen to this devotional below (It’s also available on Spotify on the Community Church Putney podcast)
‘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?”’ (Luke 18:1-8)
I think that all of us, in different ways, have started things only to give up. We’ve intended to improve our diet, fitness, learning, relationships… only to give up on what we know to be good for us. Even now, in early February, I guess that many of the New Year’s resolutions that were made have already been left behind. Humans often know what is good, can advise others on what is good, whilst failing to do what is good! This is also true in regard to prayer and the other spiritual disciplines. Jesus tells this parable because it’s possible that we give up on prayer.
Why do we give up on prayer?
i. Loss of patience
Waiting for God can test our faith. In the context, that runs from the previous chapter where we looked at the coming of the Kingdom of God, we see that this is about remaining faithful in prayer during the Last days, as we wait for Jesus to return.
Loss of patience and an apparent lack of success can tempt us to stop praying. Perhaps we’ve prayed for something but became discouraged when the situation didn’t change as we hoped. In this parable, waiting for change is highlighted as a significant challenge. The words, “For some time he refused,” remind us that delays and the struggle to remain patient can lead many to abandon prayer. We stop praying personally and with the church because we’ve lost hope that these issues will ever change.
ii. Distraction is also another reason we give up on prayer.
Becoming distracted by temptations, entertainment, work… is a common reason we stop praying. We fill our lives with so many things that we don’t have the time and the energy to pray. We stop praying personally and with the church because we’ve come to believe that there are more important, or enjoyable, and life-invigorating things to do.
I’m reminded of The Parable of the Sower. There, Jesus, using this analogy of various sorts of soil, teaches that we can be fruitful or lose fruitfulness in our lives. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus described how distractions and difficulties can choke the Word of God, but it doesn’t have to be the case:
‘…The devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts… the time of testing… choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures… But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. ( Luke 8:12, 13, 14, 15)
When life’s concerns—such as financial pressures, career goals, or personal desires—consume our thoughts, they can easily crowd out time for prayer. We can deal with worry and wealth by becoming busy or, in the first instance, by praying. I would add that prayer is the way to ‘weed’ the garden of our lives and remain healthy and fruitful soil. Is the ‘seed’ of Jesus’ word regarding persistence in prayer being ‘choked’ out of your life? Is the seed growing in good soil, such that you are praying with persistence?
iii. Pride and self-reliance.
Another powerful reason that we stop praying is that we don’t really believe that we need God. We can do our job, deal with life, make decisions, handle our relationships and responsibilities without prayer. We may be blinkered to this shadowy attitude, but it’s revealed by how we deal with life. We stop praying personally and with the church because we no longer believe that we need God to act because we can get things done. Added to this, we no longer ask people to pray for us because we don’t realise our utter dependence upon God.
iv. Lack of faith
Ultimately, this, I believe, is at the root of all failure to pray. Lack of patience, distraction, pride and self-reliance are all symptoms of a failure to trust and believe God. We stop praying personally and with the church because we’ve lost faith in God, His character and His promises regarding persevering prayer.
‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Let’s pray together as we finish
“Lord Jesus, your word is like seed. May I be receptive soil. May your teaching regarding faithfulness in prayer take root and grow fruit in my life. Forgive me where I’ve allow the weeds of worry and temptation to choke prayer. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
On Sunday, in our message from Luke 18:1-8 was entitled, In The Waiting, Keep Praying. From The Parable of the Persistent Widow, we reflected on how, in the days of waiting for Jesus to return, an era marked with much trial, we are to remain faithful in prayer.
Please read Luke Luke 18:1-8 and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything from Sunday’s message that would encourage others?
How does this parable fit together with the previous chapter’s teaching on the coming of the Kingdom of God?
He ends the section with the words, ‘“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”’ How does this fit with the teaching on prayer?
Our vision at CCP is: Vision: Bringing People to Jesus: Myself, One Another, Our Community. In regard to this first aspect (‘myself’) our first goal is: ‘We come to Jesus daily by setting aside quality time each day in prayer and worship out of the Bible and asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit (20 minutes, using the ‘come to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start.) How would you like to make progress in regard to this goal?
This parable speaks of persistence in personal prayer, prayer with friends/family, and prayer with the church; Why is important that our prayer-life be a good balance of personal and corporate prayer?
SIV - How does this parable teach about prayer in regard to bringing our community to Jesus?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus; alternatively, pray for the ‘people of peace’ that you regularly meet with.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study together and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
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