Luke 18:1

Luke 18:1

Thoughts from Ruthie Smith

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“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged,”

Luke 18:1

QOP- Behind the Scenes
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Welcome to week seven in our series titled, “The Question of Prayer”, where we’ve been looking at the answers to some of the most common questions about what prayer is, why it matters, and how it works. This week, we’re going to be answering the question, “How do we pray without ceasing?” Multiple times throughout the Bible, we are told to pray without ceasing, pray at all times, or be continually in prayer. But what does that actually mean? And is that actually possible?

Slide

Today’s verse comes from a passage in Luke where Jesus told a parable (which really is just a story with a point) to those listening about an unrighteous judge who neither feared God nor had respect for anyone. He was unjust and uncaring. Yet, a widow comes to him and pleads for him to move on her behalf. Over and over, she comes, bringing her request to the judge. Eventually, the unjust judge gets so tired of listening to her pleas that he does what she is asking just to shut her up!

Slide

Jesus then goes on to say in verse 7, “now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them?” The point here is that if an unrighteous, imperfect, and selfish judge is affected by the faithful pleas of someone he doesn’t even care about, how much more will God bring justice to those He dearly loves? How much more can we rely on God to not only hear our pleas, but to care about them?

Slide

See the point isn’t that God hears us better when we pray over and over. In fact, in Matthew 6:7-8, Jesus tells His listeners, “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Slide

The point is not that God will hear us if we nag Him. The point, friends, is that when we continually bring our requests to God, we are acknowledging His Lordship and reaffirming our trust in Him. We are essentially saying, “God, once again, I trust You with this matter that is so pressing. I trust that You are working, and I lay this down at Your feet.” Praying without ceasing is our way of continually coming back to God, reaffirming to Him as well as ourselves that we need Him, and giving Him control once again.

QOP- Make it Real
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Have you ever prayed for something and then just as quickly as you finished your prayer you started planning for how to fix it yourself? I know I have been guilty of this so many times. It’s as if I lay something down at Jesus’ feet only to say, “Oh wait, let me just fix this one little thing.” or “Never mind, God, it’s silly that I am asking this of You. I can handle it on my own. No need to bother You.” I reach back down and pick up the very thing Jesus invited me to lay at His feet.

Slide

This is completely human nature. We all struggle with this in one way or another. Why? Because we are impatient. We want to see results quickly or we want to feel useful. We don’t trust that Jesus can fully handle what we bring Him. Or maybe we aren’t fully convinced that He cares enough to handle it. We worry that He will take too long, or maybe He will forget. We get a particular timeline or a particular solution to our problem stuck in our minds and when Jesus does it differently or at a different pace, we start to stress.

Slide

This is where prayer comes back in. As we commit to pray without ceasing, we remind ourselves to let it go again and again. We systematically bring it back to the feet of Jesus, reminding our hearts that He is God and He is so, so good. We surrender all over again, letting go of that which we keep errantly picking back up again.

Slide

And this practice of continual surrender, of continual affirmation of Jesus’ Lordship in our lives, brings Him so much praise. He never said trusting Him would be easy. He knows how hard it is. He knows how much we struggle inwardly. That’s why He never tires of our returning to Him over and over again for the same thing. He invites us, whispering to our souls, “Come lay it down again. I am still here, and I still love you. I have enough grace to meet you in this again and again. I have enough patience to soothe your restless heart each and every time you come to Me. I am here, child. Bring it back to Me.”

Slide

Even just writing that chokes me up. Because I know I need that kind of grace, patience, and love. I need it desperately. Because I am so prone to wander. I am prone to pride and worry. I can get anxious and try to write God’s story for Him instead of letting Him have the pen. I can get fearful and self-loathing. I can start to doubt His goodness or maybe I doubt His ultimate love for me. But over and over, when I meet Him in prayer, bringing my hurts, my needs, my burdens to Him, He meets me with grace, comfort, and love.

Slide

We serve a good, good Father who does not tire and does not lose. He is never rushed and never in a hurry. His timing is perfect, and His plan is right. He knows what we need before we even ask and His will for our lives is the very best. It’s not like there is a better option than God’s will. It is the best option... ALWAYS. So, we can trust Him. We can wait on Him.

Slide

And we can come back to Him over and over. His mercies are never ending. His grace overflows for all of eternity. We cannot wear out His patience or His goodness. He will never grow tired of pouring back into His children. So, come to the well that never runs cry. Lay your burdens down for the first time or the one-hundredth time. Every time, He is enough.

QOP- End in Prayer
Slide

Jesus,

Forgive me for taking back up what You have called me to put down. Thank You that You never send me away when I come to You over and over. Thank You that every time I come to You, You care just as much as You did the first time. Thank You that You know what I need before I even do. Thank You for being a safe place for me to bring all I am, all I need, all I fear, and all I want to lay at Your feet. You are my King. Once again, I declare Your Lordship in my life.

In the name of Jesus and in the power of Holy Spirit,

Amen

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“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged,” 

Luke 18:1

Behind the Scenes

Welcome to week seven in our series titled, “The Question of Prayer”, where we’ve been looking at the answers to some of the most common questions about what prayer is, why it matters, and how it works. This week, we’re going to be answering the question, “How do we pray without ceasing?” Multiple times throughout the Bible, we are told to pray without ceasing, pray at all times, or be continually in prayer. But what does that actually mean? And is that actually possible? 

Today’s verse comes from a passage in Luke where Jesus told a parable (which really is just a story with a point) to those listening about an unrighteous judge who neither feared God nor had respect for anyone. He was unjust and uncaring. Yet, a widow comes to him and pleads for him to move on her behalf. Over and over, she comes, bringing her request to the judge. Eventually, the unjust judge gets so tired of listening to her pleas that he does what she is asking just to shut her up! 

Jesus then goes on to say in verse 7, “now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them?” The point here is that if an unrighteous, imperfect, and selfish judge is affected by the faithful pleas of someone he doesn’t even care about, how much more will God bring justice to those He dearly loves? How much more can we rely on God to not only hear our pleas, but to care about them?  

See the point isn’t that God hears us better when we pray over and over. In fact, in Matthew 6:7-8, Jesus tells His listeners, “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” 

The point is not that God will hear us if we nag Him. The point, friends, is that when we continually bring our requests to God, we are acknowledging His Lordship and reaffirming our trust in Him. We are essentially saying, “God, once again, I trust You with this matter that is so pressing. I trust that You are working, and I lay this down at Your feet.” Praying without ceasing is our way of continually coming back to God, reaffirming to Him as well as ourselves that we need Him, and giving Him control once again. 

Make It Real

Have you ever prayed for something and then just as quickly as you finished your prayer you started planning for how to fix it yourself? I know I have been guilty of this so many times. It’s as if I lay something down at Jesus’ feet only to say, “Oh wait, let me just fix this one little thing.” or “Never mind, God, it’s silly that I am asking this of You. I can handle it on my own. No need to bother You.” I reach back down and pick up the very thing Jesus invited me to lay at His feet.  

This is completely human nature. We all struggle with this in one way or another. Why? Because we are impatient. We want to see results quickly or we want to feel useful. We don’t trust that Jesus can fully handle what we bring Him. Or maybe we aren’t fully convinced that He cares enough to handle it. We worry that He will take too long, or maybe He will forget. We get a particular timeline or a particular solution to our problem stuck in our minds and when Jesus does it differently or at a different pace, we start to stress.  

This is where prayer comes back in. As we commit to pray without ceasing, we remind ourselves to let it go again and again. We systematically bring it back to the feet of Jesus, reminding our hearts that He is God and He is so, so good. We surrender all over again, letting go of that which we keep errantly picking back up again.  

And this practice of continual surrender, of continual affirmation of Jesus’ Lordship in our lives, brings Him so much praise. He never said trusting Him would be easy. He knows how hard it is. He knows how much we struggle inwardly. That’s why He never tires of our returning to Him over and over again for the same thing. He invites us, whispering to our souls, “Come lay it down again. I am still here, and I still love you. I have enough grace to meet you in this again and again. I have enough patience to soothe your restless heart each and every time you come to Me. I am here, child. Bring it back to Me.” 

Even just writing that chokes me up. Because I know I need that kind of grace, patience, and love. I need it desperately. Because I am so prone to wander. I am prone to pride and worry. I can get anxious and try to write God’s story for Him instead of letting Him have the pen. I can get fearful and self-loathing. I can start to doubt His goodness or maybe I doubt His ultimate love for me. But over and over, when I meet Him in prayer, bringing my hurts, my needs, my burdens to Him, He meets me with grace, comfort, and love.  

We serve a good, good Father who does not tire and does not lose. He is never rushed and never in a hurry. His timing is perfect, and His plan is right. He knows what we need before we even ask and His will for our lives is the very best. It’s not like there is a better option than God’s will. It is the best option… ALWAYS. So, we can trust Him. We can wait on Him.  

And we can come back to Him over and over. His mercies are never ending. His grace overflows for all of eternity. We cannot wear out His patience or His goodness. He will never grow tired of pouring back into His children. So, come to the well that never runs cry. Lay your burdens down for the first time or the one-hundredth time. Every time, He is enough.  

Crystal Garnett

Crystal Garnett

ACF Digital Discipleship Director and Church Planter

End in Prayer

Jesus, 

Forgive me for taking back up what You have called me to put down. Thank You that You never send me away when I come to You over and over. Thank You that every time I come to You, You care just as much as You did the first time. Thank You that You know what I need before I even do. Thank You for being a safe place for me to bring all I am, all I need, all I fear, and all I want to lay at Your feet. You are my King. Once again, I declare Your Lordship in my life.  

In the name of Jesus and in the power of Holy Spirit, 

Amen 

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